Emanuel Cancer Center is offering a free, six-week smoking cessation program to kick off the new year.
Beginning Jan. 7, the six-week class meets from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday in the Emanuel Cancer Center, 880 E. Tuolumne Rd. The program is free, but advance registration is required.
“Studies have shown that even hard-core smokers who quit before the age of 50 cut their risk of dying from smoking-related diseases within the next 15 years in half,” explained Dr. Alyssa Epstein, the clinical psychologist who will lead the classes. “Smokers who quit before the age of 40 reduce their risk by about 90 percent, and those who quit before age 30 do best of all.”
The course will begin by helping smokers prepare to quit, and end with three sessions focused on moving beyond cigarettes and preventing relapses. The course schedule is:
• Week 1: The Attempts and Triggers of Quitting
• Week 2: Preparing To Quit
• Week 3: Managing Cravings and Recovery
• Week 4: Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle
• Week 5: Coping In High-Risk Situations
• Week 6: Living Your New Smoke-Free Life
Register online at www.emanuelmedicalcenter.org/cancer or by calling 209-664-2434.
