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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 18, 2008)
JANUARY 18. 2008 JUStlOUt 17 Resolve to Quit Or the tobacco company wins ixteen years ago, I picked my mother up S from a doctor’s appointment. After my customary cigarette in the lobby, I made my way up to Dr. Greenburg’s office. The doctor popped his head out to say hello and, noticing that 1 smelled like cigarettes, men tioned a new nicotine patch that was only available by prescription. He wrote the prescription, handing it to me before I had time to object. I kept the pre scription around for a year, continuing to smoke at least a pack every day. When the price of cigarettes jumped 20 cents a pack, I was persuaded to fill the prescription. BY MARIA CALLAHAN J Knowing that I had a full-on problem with tobacco, 1 decided to seek out acupuncture and a counselor who specialized in addictive behavior. The combined 1 have no problem believing them. (For perspec effort seems to have worked for me. I haven’t smoked tive, that’s $24 per “no” vote.) a cigarette since Aug. 31, 1991. We then calculated a tally: Jackie’s mother died I quit with my friend Jackie Sauriol, who was after a very long, miserable bout with lung cancer. able to quit “cold turkey.” After a couple of years of My stepfather died four months after being diag neither of us smoking, we no longer felt the need to nosed with inoperable lung cancer. My father had check in about it. I called her recently to ask her to a cancerous lobe removed from his lung in 2004- summarize not smoking for 16 years. Jackie stated After chemo and radiation therapy, he’s technical that she actually started smoking again a few years ly in remission, but his doctors are watching a new later, for a period of about a year after a hard spot on his lung. Jackie and I agreed that our breakup. She was able to quit again the same way personal experience with lung cancer has had the and is no longer smoking cigarettes. biggest affect so far on our not smoking. Both of our parents smoked in the house and Not smoking hasn’t been too difficult for Jackie, car. They later claimed to have not known that cig but she’s an anomaly—it’s estimated that a mere arettes were bad for them, let alone anybody with one of 20 people successfully quit cold turkey. in breathing range. After watching the tobacco Quitting wasn’t easy for me. I had help with the industry’s $12 million effort to defeat Measure 50, physical symptoms of withdrawal; it was the behav Dear Ethel ioral and social changes that I struggled with. My work breaks revolved around cigarettes, and driv ing without a cigarette seemed foreign for a long time. Cigarettes occasionally smelled good, and that was confusing. My social life changed considerably—Club 927 was the place to be in 1991, and as many folks likely remember, it was impossible to breathe on a Saturday night. 1 can’t stay in the E Room for more than an hour or so, and I once suffered an asthma attack after staying out late with friends in the back room, ironi cally referred to as “The Tomb.” According to the national LGBT Tobacco Control Network Web site, www.lgbttobacco.org, “The LGBTQ communities smoke at rates 40 percent to almost 200 percent higher than the general population.” It is also estimated that upward of 50 percent of trans people smoke. Fully aware of these statistics, the tobacco industry targets queers to create brand loyalty; for every million the tobacco industry donates to queer causes, it spends up to 10 million telling us that they donated that million to our community. As a trainer, I have the utmost respect for anyone who is trying to quit and chooses to start an exercise program simultaneously. I know personal ly that behavior and social modifications are crucial. Thus far I haven’t seen one partner quit successfully without his or her partner quitting, too. A new client mentioned that she and her partner were trying a new cessation medication called Chantix, so I gave them some time and asked for Is Your Mortgage Rate About To Adjust? Our parents... later claimed to have not known that cigarettes were bad for them.... After watching the tobacco industry's $12 million effort to defeat Measure 50, I have no problem believing them. a full report. She said that they both had some initial side effects and that their health insurance didn’t cover the medication (the cost was $100), * but she is happy to report that they haven’t smoked a cigarette in two months. This is serious progress— both of them have been smokers for 20 years. The average person tries to quit smoking seven to eight times before he or she is successful. I recall having seriously tried no less than four times. If you are a smoker, consider asking your doctor for a pre scription. I’m not sure if I’d be writing this column if 1 hadn’t kept that prescription around. © * M aria C allahan is a clinical exercise specialist and certified personal trainer. To contact her, visit www.mariacallahan.net. Information in this column should not be used in place of advice from a licensed health care professional. Dentistry In The Pearl That’s Something To Smile About! Most people think about home financing only a few times during their life. I think about it every $74 New Patient Exam and X-Rays $49 New Patient Basic Cleaning day. It's my profession and my passion. Call me to discuss your situation and options. (exam required) $59 James Komro (new patients 12 fr under) Delivery Service Available 503-680-4784 $99 See Web Site for Detail« www.RoseCityMtg.com www.SaltysDogShop.com JamM@RoseCityMtg.coin Rose City Saltv’s Dog & Cat Shop 3741 N. 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