Just before noon on a cold Monday morning, Lisa Deamon, 55, a Dallas County resident, joins 13 others for group therapy at Parkland Memorial Hospital where she shares her struggles and her accomplishments as she works on kicking her smoking habit for good.
“It’s for my health. I want to live longer,” said Deamon. “It’s a real addiction, like heroin, cocaine, and alcohol,” said Deamon, “and it’s hard to stop.”
Deamon started experimenting with cigarettes when she was just 15 years old and began smoking regularly at 18.
Like other patients in her support group, Deamon now has a plan and a healthcare provider that will guide her through this tough journey. Thanks to Parkland’s Smoking Cessation Clinic, Deamon is receiving resources, counseling, and medication to help her stop the consumption of tobacco products.
Smoking continues to be the number one cause of disease and preventable death in this country, with 480,000 deaths in the U.S. attributed to smoking-related causes each year. Worldwide, tobacco use causes more than 7 million deaths per year. If the trend continues, the number will increase to more than 8 million deaths annually by 2030, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“We know that quitting smoking can be difficult,” said David Balis, MD, Medical Director of Parkland’s Inpatient Smoking Cessation Clinic and Professor of Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center. “That is why we encourage people to take the first step and enroll in our smoking cessation program.”
Ricky Allen, 59, a Dallas resident and a 40-year smoker, made the change and hasn’t touched a cigarette in over a month.
“I feel good,” said Allen. “I just got up one day and I decided to let it go.”
Allen said what’s helped him is going on long walks every day.
Deamon is right behind him. “I have not quit smoking, but I no longer smoke a whole pack,” she said. She hopes to one day stop smoking completely.
Each year the American Cancer Society encourages Americans to snuff out their cigarettes, pipes, and cigars and throw away the chewing tobacco on Great American Smokeout Day, scheduled for Nov. 21 this year.
“We encourage everyone who wants to start their journey towards a smoke-free life to put the cigarette down on Great American Smokeout Day,” said Dr. Balis. “By doing so, you’re reducing the chances of getting cancer and other smoking-related diseases.”
“Don’t just think about quitting smoking. Stop smoking,” said Deamon. “And if you haven’t started, please don’t start.”
Individuals who are ready to be tobacco-free can make an appointment with Parkland’s Smoking Cessation Clinic by calling 214-590-5691 or 214-590-5603. For more information, visit https://www.parklandhospital.com/phhs/smoking-cessation.aspx.
