Kristine Carabeo, Quit Coach Supervisor, Service Delivery:   With the New Year has come countless resolutions, and at Free & Clear we have been busy helping with one of the most popular -- quitting smoking! For so many, January 1 is a great time to kick the habit. The first of the year means a fresh start, new beginnings, and a chance to leave behind the past. But one particular person’s quit has taken center stage. President-Elect Barack Obama touts change and hope and who has un... [More]

Kristine Carabeo, Quit Coach, Service Delivery:   Though our historical presidential election has come to an end, many questions continue to be asked of our new President Elect. But one question that many are curious about seems to go unanswered. And that question is, has Barack Obama really quit smoking? On Sunday Obama announced that he has quit, but has “fallen off the wagon” occasionally. Another article reports that Obama has declared he has quit, but admits to “intermittent ... [More]

Kristine Carabeo, Quit Coach, Service Delivery:   A recent report says that smokers should never use nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), which includes products like nicotine patches, gums, inhalants, lozenges and pills, or else they will never quit smoking. When first seeing that headline, I thought that maybe the article would encourage more people to quit cold turkey (no quit smoking aids or medications whatsoever), which is one of many methods that people can use to quit. But ... [More]

Kristine Carabeo, Quit Coach, Service Delivery:   One of my best friends has long been known as the “Hookah Master” in our social circle, and even in our community in our hometown of San Diego. For him, hookah is a way of life. He has many hookahs; he brings them to parties, boasts about the many flavors, knows all the hookah bars, and preaches the supposed safety of them. “It’s not bad because it’s diluted through the water pipe…it’s not like you smoke it regularly so it’s safe…just qu... [More]

Kristine Carabeo, Quit Coach, Service Delivery:   When talking with people who are trying to quit smoking, I often hear someone say that they are happy that they have “cut back” on their smoking. And cutting back on how many cigarettes you smoke each day is definitely a great thing to do. It certainly helps people to feel more prepared on their quit dates. But what if they mean they have cut back on their nicotine by smoking “light” cigarettes instead of regular cigarettes? Is this just... [More]

Kristine Carabeo, Quit Coach, Service Delivery:   Okay. Guilty as charged. Some of the Quit Coaches here don’t have firsthand experience on quitting smoking. We admit that. But does that mean we can’t provide quality advice and support? Of course not! If anything, it provides us with another perspective; we know additional information about the world of quitting so that we can best serve our participants who want to quit smoking. At a family gathering not too long ago, it came up ... [More]