Are Miami Residents Finally Quitting the Habit?
By now, smoking’s many health risks are very well known. Aside from harming nearly every organ in the body and increasing the risk of mortality, the harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke can also interfere with the intake of essential nutrients like vitamin B12. As previously discussed in an article on ‘Vitamin B12 Deficiency’, this severe health problem can lead to permanent memory loss and balance difficulties if unaddressed.
The good news is that smoking rates in the United States have decreased in recent years, with more smokers opting to repair the harm to their bodies. Let’s look closer to home and find out whether or not Miami residents are kicking the habit and how exactly they’re doing it.
What does the research say?
The latest findings from the annual Florida Adult Tobacco Survey indicate that 14.7% of the adult population are smokers, with Miami reporting similar rates at 14.8%. Interestingly, research on tobacco education published in PubMed Central found that statewide tobacco education through the Tobacco Free Florida campaign has successfully brought smoking rates down over the years. Instead of simply relaying health information that the public already knows, what appeared to be most effective was the use of tips and testimonials from former smokers.
This highly emotional messaging on mass media has clearly influenced behavioral changes among smokers. Thanks to the campaign, the same study estimates that 332,604 Floridians make quit attempts per year. Within Miami-Dade County, approximately 58.7% of adult smokers make at least one quit attempt. While this shows how valuable state- and county-wide campaigns on tobacco-free lifestyles can be, there are various other resources out there that further facilitate lifestyle transformations among smokers, some of which will be discussed below.
What else helps Miami residents quit?
Quitting is never as easy as it looks. Only a small percentage of those who try to quit cold turkey successfully eliminate cigarettes from their lives. Fortunately, there’s a growing market for alternatives that most adult smokers can use to manage withdrawal symptoms and keep cravings at bay.
Among these alternatives are nicotine pouches. As an oral cessation aid, VELO nicotine pouches are tobacco-free and hence do not harm smokers' health the same way cigarettes do. Aside from offering a wide range of flavors and strengths that make for a satisfying nicotine delivery experience, market leader VELO is available to buy online at Prilla and ships anywhere in the US, including Florida. This enables Floridian smokers to reduce the harmful effects of tobacco and successfully quit.
Likewise, other tobacco-free alternatives like nicotine gums, lozenges, and patches, from popular brands like Nicorette, Habitrol, and Nicoderm, are carried by pharmacies and convenience stores. This wide availability makes quitting more accessible for many smokers, as opposed to switching to e-cigarettes and thus substituting one addiction for another. Furthermore, these nicotine products do not emit any odors, smoke, or byproducts. Now that smoking bans are in place in Miami Beach, parks, and other public areas, smokers can use these alternatives discreetly without having to pay fines or harm anyone else due to secondhand smoke.
But the same cessation method won't work for everyone. For smokers who want to quit without using medication, support is available through top smoking cessation apps listed by the Miami Herald. The Quit Genius Stop Smoking app provides behavioral support in the form of a quit smoking coach, a personalized strategy, and a progress tracker. Other apps can also extend support through mindfulness exercises and cognitive behavioral therapy tools. Despite the many bumps in transitioning to a smoke-free lifestyle, this wide range of quitting-related resources does not only prove to smokers in Miami — and anywhere else in the US — that it is possible to successfully quit and kick the habit. It also communicates to smokers that they don’t have to go through the challenging yet worthwhile journey of quitting all by themselves.