Print Full Version Back to Main  Help Patients Kick the Smoking Habit (Article 4) As a health care provider, you surely are aware of the high price of nicotine addiction. But have you seen the numbers lately? A staggering 440,000 people die in the U.S. each year from tobacco use. Smoking-related cancers account for an estimated $157 billion in annual economic losses. Of the estimated 35 percent of smokers who attempt to stop each year, only 5 percent are permanently successful.  For all these reasons it is incumbent upon health professionals to question patients about tobacco use and support them in their efforts to quit. According to the 2000 National Health Interview Survey, 51 percent of smokers who had stopped within the previous 12 months had been questioned and counseled by their providers. In the spirit of the American Cancer Society (ACS)-sponsored Great American Smokeout®, which takes place on the third Thursday of November each year, now is the time to help your TRICARE patients quit smoking for good. The Great American Smokeout, which became a national ACS event in 1977, challenges people to stop using tobacco—at least for the day— and raises awareness of ways to permanently stop. The "5 A's" for Helping Patients Quit  Ask about tobacco use Advise to quit Assess willingness to make a quit attempt Assist in quit attempt Ask about progress/success at subsequent visits Even brief counseling by a health care professional during the course of a regular medical encounter can effectively encourage smokers to quit. (Source: www.cancer.org American Cancer Society) Unfortunately, many providers neglect to ask patients if they use tobacco.  Start asking. As a TRICARE provider, you are uniquely positioned to deliver critical screening, counseling, treatment and follow-up care to help stem the tide of this public health crisis among the military community. Treatments Work for Many  FDA-approved smoking cessation treatments include non-nicotinebased antidepressants, which can help reduce nicotine withdrawal symptoms and the urge to smoke; over-the-counter (OTC) nicotine gums; prescription-only nicotine inhalers and nasal sprays; and nicotine patches, which are available both OTC and by doctor’s prescription. Please inform your patients that TRICARE does not cover services and supplies for smoking cessation programs; however, the money saved by not buying cigarettes will eventually cover the cost of these services and supplies. Certain MTF wellness programs offer free OTC gums and patches. Telephone quit lines are also now available free of charge in many states. Have your patients call 1-800-ACS-2345 to find a local quit line. Back to Top