Quit Smoking Together

Constant moral support makes a difference

What’s up, Doc?

When Tina and Rob Kern crave a cigarette, they eat a snack instead. Not only are carrots a healthy food choice, it keeps their hands busy until the craving subsides.

With Feb. 19 fast approaching, Tina Kern became emotional. She felt butterflies in her stomach and tears in her eyes. “I felt like I was losing my best friend,” says the outpatient pediatrics health information management technician. Tina turned to her husband, Rob, for support. “I assured her we’d get through it together,” he says. When Feb. 19 arrived, they did just that. They quit smoking together.

Tina and Rob’s story is not unique. “Smokers are more likely to marry smokers, smoke the same amount as their spouse, and quit at the same time,” says tobacco treatment counselor Dianna Mulhern. “Married smokers successfully quit more than those who are divorced, widowed or have never married because they support each other.”

Here’s how Tina and Rob’s partnership, coupled with their involvement in our Tobacco Treatment Program, led to them becoming tobacco-free.

When Tina decided to quit, she didn’t demand that Rob follow her example. “I asked if he wanted to join me,” Tina says. Mulhern says that’s the perfect approach. “If your partner isn’t ready to quit, he won’t be successful,” Mulhern says. “Don’t be judgmental or let his decision not to quit persuade you from quitting.”

When the Kerns met with Mulhern, they set the same quit date (Feb. 19) and were given nicotine patches to use when that day arrived. Choice Plus covered the consultation and the patches for both. “The patch made a huge difference for both of us,” Tina says.

When the Kerns went home, they thoroughly cleaned their bedroom and car, two places where they frequently smoked. They removed the smell of cigarette smoke, which often triggers a craving. “It smelled nice, and we didn’t want to smoke there anymore,” Tina says.

When Rob lost a family member, he broke down and bought a pack of cigarettes. Instead of becoming upset, Tina was sympathetic. “I told him I understood what he was going through,” she says, “but that we shouldn’t be smoking anymore.” Rob realized his mistake and threw away the pack.

When the Kerns look back at the last seven months, they say they couldn’t have done it without each other and the Tobacco Treatment Program.

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