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any former smokers say
quitting was the hardest
thing they ever did.
However, millions of people have
been able to do it, and you can too.
Quitting is a process that involves
practice, exibility, commitment
and e ort. It’s OK to make mistakes.
People learn something new about
quitting every time they try, and
they are much stronger the next
time they try.
e rst step of the quitting
process is learning why you feel
like you need to smoke. Knowing
this can prepare you to nd the
best ways to quit and live a smoke-
free life.
One of the main reasons
smokers keep smoking is because
of nicotine. Nicotine is a highly
addictive substance found naturally
in tobacco. Over time, your body
gets used to having nicotine. e
more you smoke‚ the more nicotine
you need to feel normal. When
your body doesn’t get nicotine,
you may feel uncomfortable and
crave cigarettes. is is called
withdrawal. It also takes time to
get over withdrawal. So don’t give
up. You can do this. Stay positive,
and just keep trying.
e most e ective way to
quit is by using a combination
of counseling and medication.
Counseling in person or over the
phone is equally e ective. Quit-
smoking programs help smokers
manage and cope with problems
they have when trying to quit. e
programs teach problem-solving
and other coping skills.
Talk to your doctor to nd the
option that will work best for you.
ere are
new enhancements
to
the Alliance Tobacco Cessation
Program. e Alliance is committed
to supporting members who
wish to stop smoking and/or
using tobacco products. For more
information about this bene t
and how to access local tobacco
cessation classes, call the Health
Education Line at
1-800-700-3874,
ext. 5580
. If you want to talk to
a quit-smoking counselor right
away, call
1-800-NO-BUTTS
(
1-800-662-8887
). Eligible Medi-Cal
members ages 18 and older can
receive a free
nicotine patch
and
a
$20 gift card
from the helpline
after completing the rst session.
Drug name
Used for Action
Granulex (0.12–87g spray);
Vasolex (90U–87g
ointment)
Wound
care
Added
Zana ex (2mg, 4mg
tablets only)
Muscle
relaxant
Added
Precose (25mg, 50mg,
100mg)
Diabetes Added
tolazamide (250mg,
500mg); tolbutamide
(500mg)
Diabetes Deleted
Janumet, Janumet XR,
Jentadueto, Kazano,
Kombiglyze XR
Diabetes ese ve drugs are being added
as step therapy when both
metformin and a sulfonylurea
have been tried and failed.
Formulary changes
You
can quit
staying healthy
4
living
healthy