Quit smoking classes begin May 13

McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) and Centegra will offer quit smoking classes for adults in May. The seven-week class will be held on Tuesdays beginning May 13, from 6pm-7:30pm, at Centegra Health Bridge Fitness Center, 200 E Congress Parkway, in Crystal Lake. A $25 course fee, payable at the first class, is refundable if all sessions are attended. Class members will also receive a free 3-day pass to Centegra’s Health Bridge Fitness Center. To register, call MCDH at 815-334-4525 or 1-877-CENTEGRA.  

Classes will teach practical ways to end nicotine addiction through group support and behavior modification.  It will also review nicotine replacement products that are currently on the market. Instruction is provided by MCDH staff that is trained in the American Lung Association’s Freedom From Smoking® program. This program is considered the “gold standard” and has helped tens of thousands of smokers quit over the last 30 years.  Evaluation studies have shown that individuals who participate in Freedom From Smoking®:

·  experience immediate health benefits;

·  learn to address the physical, mental, and social aspects of their addiction;

·  are six times more likely to be smokefree one year later than those who quit on their own;

MCDH reports between 70%-75% of class participants have quit smoking by the end of the program, when used in combination with smoking cessation medication.  Quitting smoking can add up to measurable savings - $2,500 a year for those who smoke one-pack a day as well as the money saved on healthcare costs.