Tobacco Cessation Program
St. Francis Tobacco Cessation, located at the St. Francis Community Health Center at 2600 Tower Drive in Monroe, is open 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday. If you have questions about the program or want to schedule an appointment, please call (318) 966-QUIT.
What do you experience in the Tobacco Cessation Program?
Intake Appointment
- Review of your medical and social history, medications and quit attempts
- Creation of a plan that meets your specific needs, triggers and goals
- Education about tobacco addiction, dangers and how to break the addiction cycle
- Consultation with our nurse practitioner or your physician to outline a plan based on your medical history and individual needs
Support Sessions
- Individual and/or group sessions with optional carbon monoxide monitoring at each session
- Regularly scheduled check-in calls during treatment and follow-up reassessments for one year
- Telehealth visits via phone or video
Why should I quit using tobacco?
- You'll have fewer health problems.
- The amount of money you'll save will surprise you!
- You can save the people you love from problems related to secondhand smoke.
- Quitting tobacco use can cut down on heartburn and snoring.
- Your sense of smell and taste will improve, and you will breathe easier.
Why is working with a Nationally Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist (CTTS) important?
- Helps you understand tobacco addiction and what to expect from nicotine withdrawals and treatments
- Gives you clear information about what happens to your body when you use tobacco and works with you to create a personalized plan
- Provides effective treatment for all forms of tobacco
- Can work with your family members to help them understand how to support your cessation journey
Success Stories
Each person’s success is personal. No two journeys are the same. Some people have friends and family to cheer them on, while others go through the program quietly and privately. Some people participate in pairs of husbands and wives or parents and children, while others find friends in the program to support them or never tell anyone they sought support.
Patient testimonials tell us the program works, no matter what path the journey takes:
- “My husband has tried for nearly 40 years to quit smoking. He tried hypnosis, medications, other programs, you name it. This is the first thing that has worked.” (Seven years later, the patient is still smoke-free.)
- "I don’t have anyone who will support me in this. They all think I’m crazy for wanting to quit.” (After seeing the patient’s success, her brother-in-law and sister joined the program and successfully quit also.)
- “I wish my wife would join, but she just isn’t ready.” (Both the patient and his wife quit smoking and are program advocates in the community.)
- “My carbon monoxide levels were off the chart. It was dangerous. At my last session, I had dropped to the level of a non-smoker, and it made me feel good to see that number drop so low.” (Carbon monoxide levels can be monitored at each session, and patients are educated about the importance of lowering their levels.)
- It’s the sisters who were 40+ year smokers but have relied on each other as support to quit.
- It’s the home health nurse whose patient had joined the program and referred her. She not only quit after nearly 50 years of smoking, but two of her sisters joined the program as well.
- It’s the man who was about to be a grandfather and knew he needed to quit for his grandson who can now hold that little boy without fear of exposure to secondhand and thirdhand smoke.
- It’s the lady who has little income and rations bus passes but still makes it to her cessation appointments so she can quit smoking and improve her quality of life.
- It’s the mother who can now stay overnight and rest instead of driving all in one day when she takes her child to medical appointments in New Orleans because of the money she saved from no longer buying cigarettes.
The stories go on. These stories – these people – are our legacy. Their success defines our impact, and the generation-upon-generation impact of tobacco cessation is nearly immeasurable.
Helpful Resources
E-Cig Fact Sheet
Secondhand Smoke
Smoking and Asthma
Smoking and Diabetes
Smoking and Surgery
Tobacco Cessation Withdrawal Symptoms Management
Tobacco Intervention for Early COPD