The best time to quit tobacco is now Published Jan. 30, 2015 Office of Personnel Management TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- There has never been a better time for federal employees and members of their families to become tobacco free and support tobacco free living. People who stop using tobacco can enjoy immediate health benefits and greatly reduce their risk for diseases such as heart disease, lung disease, infections, osteoporosis, and many types of cancer. Although health benefits are greater for people who stop smoking at an earlier age, cessation is beneficial at any age. Quitting tobacco is one of the most important things you can do to protect your own health and your family's well-being. Did you know? · Quitting a pack-a-day cigarette habit would put more than $2,000 back in your pocket over the course of a year. · More than 10 times as many U.S. citizens have died prematurely from cigarette smoking than have died in all the wars fought by the United States during its history. · Smoking causes about 90 percent (or 9 out of 10) of all lung cancer deaths in men and women. More women die from lung cancer each year than from breast cancer. · About 80 percent (or 8 out of 10) of all deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are caused by smoking. If you are thinking about quitting, you don't need to go it alone. In fact, the 2013 Federal Employee Benefits Survey Tobacco Use Report showed that 6 out of 10 federal employees who currently smoke are considering quitting. You may have a co-worker or family member willing to join you in the effort. We want to help you get there. The Federal Employees' Health Benefits Program and OPM support and encourage tobacco free living. In order to facilitate cessation for beneficiaries: · All FEHB plans cover comprehensive tobacco cessation services. · Covered services include at a minimum four counseling sessions of at least 30 minutes for two quit attempts per year and all Food and Drug Administration-approved tobacco cessation medications (with a doctor's prescription). · There are no co-payments or coinsurance for these services. · All family members covered by a FEHB plan can take advantage of these services. To take advantage of this benefit, check out the details on the Quit Smoking Resource Page (www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/special-initiatives/quit-smoking). Be sure to talk to your doctor about which approach is best for you. If you are covered through the VA or TRICARE, help is a phone call or click away. Links to their programs are included at the end of this article, as well as links to CDC's smoking cessation support line. Officials also urge you to reach out to teenaged children who may be struggling with smoking. Teenagers know that tobacco is bad for them. What they may not know is that even the first few cigarettes can cause real damage. The Department of Health and Human Services' "The Real Cost" campaign aims to reduce the number of teens who experiment with smoking and become lifelong tobacco users. The campaign gives them the facts so that they can judge for themselves. So if you are considering quitting -- congratulations, you have already taken the first step toward health. And if you've tried before, there's no better time to try again. You are not alone and you can succeed. Take advantage of one of these helpful programs today. Additional resources · VA: 1-855-QUIT-VET (1-855-784-8838) or www.publichealth.va.gov/smoking · TRICARE: 1-877-414-9949 or www.tricare.mil/tobaccocessation · Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline: 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) · American Lung Association Tobacco Helpline: 1-877-695-7848 · National Cancer Institute: http://smokefree.gov/