Smoking Cessation

According to the American Stroke Association, smoking makes you twice as likely to die if you have a stroke – and the more you smoke, the greater your risk. Quitting smoking reduces your risk of stroke and a host of other chronic health conditions. And if you’ve already had a stroke, stopping smoking is even more important to reduce your risk of it happening again. In addition to other factors, smoking leads to atherosclerosis, a condition where a person’s arteries become narrow and harden, reducing blood flow and making clots more likely. When a clot inside an artery travels to the brain, it can cause a stroke when critical blood supply is blocked. 

Resources to Help You Quit 

CHI Memorial Medical Group offers Freedom From Smoking®, an eight-session smoking cessation program, at CHI Memorial Community Health – Hixson. Freedom From Smoking® is an American Lung Association program that has helped more than one million Americans overcome an addiction to nicotine during the past 30 years. The program is designed for a small group setting and helps participants learn how to beat tobacco addiction, lifestyle changes that make quitting easier, stress management, how to avoid weight gain and how to stay smoke-free for good. The program is free, and anyone who has a desire to stop smoking should call (423) 495-7778 to learn more. 

Tennessee QuitLine

The Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine is a toll-free telephone service that provides personalized support for Tennesseans who want to quit smoking or chewing tobacco. Call (800) 784-8669 or visit TNQuitLine.org. 

Georgia Quit Line

The Georgia Tobacco Quit Line (GTQL) is a free public health service available to help Georgians quit smoking, vaping and stop using all forms of tobacco products. Call (877) 270-7867 or visit dph.georgia.gov/readytoquit.

The national quit line is 1-800-QUIT-NOW. Counselors who are trained specifically to help smokers quit

Visito Smokefree.gov for tools, tips and more information.