Quit smoking

No one ever said quitting was easy, but First Choice is here to help members stop smoking.

Benefits of quitting cigarettes

If a pack of cigarettes is $6 and you smoke a pack a day, in a year's time you will save close to $2,200 if you quit today. If you smoke two packs a day, you will save almost $4,400 a year.

You will also notice immediate health benefits:

  • In 20 minutes, your blood pressure will drop back to normal. 
  • In 8 hours, the carbon monoxide (a toxic gas) levels in your blood stream will drop by half. Oxygen levels will return to normal. 
  • In 48 hours, your chance of having a heart attack will have decreased. All nicotine will have left your body. Your sense of taste and smell will return to a normal level. 
  • In 72 hours, your bronchial tubes will relax, and your energy levels will increase. 
  • In 2 weeks, your blood circulation will increase, and it will continue to improve for the next 10 weeks. 
  • In three to nine months, coughing, wheezing, and breathing problems will fade as your lung capacity improves by 10 percent. 
  • In 1 year, your risk of having a heart attack will have dropped by half.

Resources to help you quit

First Choice is always available to help members quit smoking. Call Member Services at 1-888-276-2020 or contact us online to request more information geared to help you stop smoking for good.

Telephone quit lines

  • South Carolina Tobacco Quitline: 1-800-QUIT-NOW (784-8669).
  • Cancer Information Service Quit Line: 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237). 
  • American Lung Association Freedom From Smoking Quit Line: 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872). 
  • American Cancer Society Great Start Program (for pregnant women): 1-800-866-66-START (1-866-667-8278). 

Websites

Members