Providing your employees with stop smoking patches information will not only improve their health, but will also benefit the financial well-being of your business. The Centers for Disease Control estimate that smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, taking more than 440,000 lives each year. One out of every four individuals smoke, which means that one out of every four of your employees smoke or live with someone who does.

It's estimated that employers lose nearly $10,000 per year for each smoker they employ. Studies show that individuals are more likely to quit smoking and avoid relapse when organizations and employers set guidelines and goals and provide some form of compensation as motivation. When providing stop smoking patches information to an employee, mention the following statistics for added motivation:

1. Tobacco use is a leading cause of lung cancer, throat cancer, mouth cancer and heart disease; a few hundred dollars worth of quit smoking patches can save a life.

2. One of every two lifetime smokers will die because of their habit, and often before middle age; facts like this will make your employees more amenable to trying stop smoking patches.

3. A non-smoker’s exposure to secondhand smoke increases his risk of heart disease by 25 to 30 percent and lung cancer by 20 to 30 percent.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Furnish employees with information on a stop smoking patches provider

It takes six to 20 weeks for the use of nicotine patches to curb the craving to smoke. The patches come in different strengths, depending on the number of cigarettes the employee smokes each day. Smokers place the patch on their skin once a day and the patches slowly wean smokers from their addiction to nicotine. As the urge to smoke decreases, the employee will use patches with less potency.

I recommend: Find stop-smoking patches at Drugstore.com, which provides a thorough stop smoking patches list, including various strengths and package sizes. AmericaRx.com also offers a variety of patches.

Explain the correct usage of quit smoking patches

When used correctly, stop smoking patches can be an effective cessation mechanism. The benefits of nicotine patches include the ability to apply the patch once a day without worrying about additional applications. The different strengths allow the employee to gradually reduce the amount of nicotine in their system. However, the dosage of nicotine can't be adjusted if a strong craving occurs. Additionally, the patch may cause skin itching and irritation.

I recommend: Obtain further information regarding the proper usage, benefits and precautions associated with nicotine patches from Medline Plus and the American Lung Association.

Get support for employees in addition to the help of stop smoking patches

While you may be willing to get your employees started, you won't be able to do all the work for them. Motivation through incentives and cessation programs are helpful, but the most important element is encouragement and a support system. There are a number of additional resources available, but you should also do what you can to get friends and family members on board. The stronger the support system your employees have, the better the chance that they will succeed.

I recommend: Smokefree.gov provides expert support and stop smoking advice from counselors through email, telephone or online chat. Newsletters, stop smoking information and interactive support resources are available on QuitSmokingSupport.com.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Remember that smokers have a physical addiction to nicotine. Quitting cigarettes, even with stop smoking patches, is not an easy process; be patient and have reasonable expectations of your employees.