Heart Center offers outpatient nicotine dependence program

Quit tobacco through five weekly group sessions led by experts from the CentraCare Heart and Vascular Center at St. Cloud Hospital. The class will run for five consecutive Tuesdays with the first session beginning at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 15 in the Heart Center’s third floor library. Deadline to register is Jan. 11.

Find success through the program’s personalized treatment, support group, medication therapy, relapse prevention and self-help plan.

Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death accounting for approximately 443,000 deaths in the United States each year — about one of every five deaths. People who use tobacco are at higher risk of stroke and heart attack.

“The cigarette industry spends billions on advertising and promotions each year,” said Sarah Volker, a tobacco treatment specialist from the CentraCare Heart & Vascular Center. “Your health is priceless and we want to help anyone who would like to discontinue use of nicotine.”

According to the Center for Disease Control, an estimated 46 million people smoke in the United States, which is 19.3 percent of adults 18 years and older.

Approximately 70 percent of smokers want to quit; 52 percent tried to quit in 2010.

If you are interested in individual counseling or to register for the group sessions, call (320) 251-2700, ext. 57448.

Tags: regional news, news, updates, smoking