Smoking on and off since I was thirteen, I’d tried every trick in the book to stop. Every attempt ended in failure, whether it was stopping cold turkey or gradually with the help of medication. I became, as the old joke goes, an expert on quitting. After all, I’d done it so many times. But, with the help of the Nicotine Dependence Program it seems to be working. Not only am I smoke-free, but I don’t really think much about smoking any more. I knew when I chose to stop that I needed help to do it. I was looking for a program that would provide structure and accountability without sermons or judgment. This program does that and more.

“…I remind myself that mercy, which is a willingness to enter into the chaos of another, is part and parcel of what I signed onto as a physician.” Dr. Tim Daaleman, Vice Chair of the UNC Department of Family Medicine, shares his thoughts in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. … Read more

After smoking for more than 40 years, with a brief three-year smoke-free period, Joe Manginelli, a Patient Business Associate at UNC Hospitals Spine and Imaging Center, had his last cigarette on September 22, 2011. What made you decide to quit smoking? A few things made me quit. Mostly I did it for my wife. But … Read more

When Robert Jenkins came into UNC Health Care System’s Tobacco Free Tar Heels (TFTH) program, he had been smoking since he was 15 years old (“too long,” he said). Like many teens, it was the “cool factor” that led him to smoke. He shared that he was so sick of smoking and had always wanted to quit. He knew in his mind he was ready to quit, but still had to deal with his daily triggers for smoking: morning coffee, after meals, and stress. A co-worker told him she had quit with the support of the TFTH program and suggested that he give it a try.

Tyron Edwards, or T.Y., as he is known, entered the Wellness @ Work Tobacco Free Employee Program soon after it begin in fall 2011. He smoked between 1–2 packs of cigarettes per day, and had been smoking since he was 16 years old. He reported being “just tired of smoking.” Even with his readiness, he said that it was hard to do and he needed to put in the effort so he wouldn’t backslide.

Bob Pendergraph, an HVAC Mechanic who works in Plant Engineering, is a family man who enjoys spending time outdoors hiking, biking, and fishing. He realized that his smoking was preventing him from being active with his grandchildren. He also noticed that many people and places in his life were becoming smoke free and he did … Read more

Claudia Sibila, a medical interpreter in the Interpreter Services Department, did not realize how much her friends and family truly influenced her every day. “The people that surround you become a part of you,” she said. “A positive influence is important.” Her three pregnancies provided Sibila with motivation for being tobacco free. Yet, she found … Read more

Ebony joined the Tobacco Free Tar Heels program nearly two years ago. At that time, she had cut down on her smoking from more than a pack a day to just a few cigarettes, but she couldn’t seem to quit those last few. Her boyfriend was allergic to cigarette smoke and really didn’t like her … Read more

The National Institutes of Health recently awarded researchers from the UNC School of Medicine and the UNC Gillings School of Public Health more than $2 million to study the effects of physical activity food labeling on consumer food choices and exercise. Monday, October 13, 2014 A new study at the University of North Carolina at … Read more

Paul Moss, Fire Captain, joined the Wellness at Work Tobacco Cessation Program in June, 2012, and was able to quit smoking shortly thereafter. At the time, he was smoking a pack a day and had been doing so since he was 18 years old. When asked why he wanted to quit smoking, he replied that … Read more

If you are a smoker or are close to someone who is, you may have found that smoking can impact relationships. Martha Killough, an outpatient coordinator in the N.C. Cancer Hospital, discovered this. After being married to a non-smoker for two years, she became depressed about the distance smoking put between her and her husband. … Read more

This study is believed to be the first to measure attitudes toward e-cigarettes among physicians treating adult smokers. Wednesday, July 30, 2014 Physicians are increasingly discussing and recommending electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) as cessation devices for their patients, but more research needs to be done on their efficacy and safety, according to a new survey of … Read more

“This is not a small problem,” said Dr. Adam Goldstein, corresponding author of the study and a professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. “More than 20 percent of the physicians we surveyed have been asked to sign competency permits for concealed weapons, and a majority … Read more