Approaches to Quitting Smoking

Dave recently pointed out The Elder Barr Blog, via The Bloggernacle Times. It's an interesting idea for a blog. I didn't read any of it, I just scrolled down and looked at pictures--the same type of pictures that have been taken probably millions of times now. However one picture caught my eye. There is a picture of Elder Barr on the street holding a sign that says "Free Stop Smoking Workshop."

I could be wrong, but I think I have a pretty good idea of what that workshop involves--cinnamon mouthwash, gum, and toothpaste.

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On my mission we had a stop-smoking program, but I always thought it was odd because it didn't have the Church's stamp of approval anywhere on it. In fact it was copyrighted and we technically were not supposed to copy it--it said so right on it. But I just went with the flow--this was what we were supposed to use, so I used it.

As time has passed, I've become more skeptical. Not only do I wonder where the heck that thing came from, I also wonder if it has ever worked. I don't think any of my smoking investigators successfully quit. (My wife says hers did.) If it is the offical way to quit, why aren't the Church's fingerprints anywhere to be found on it?

For as much press and discussion the issue of smoking gets in church, there is precious little in terms of guidance as to how to quit. A quick look on the Word of Wisdom section of Provident Living.org reveals a number of links to talks in the Ensign and lessons from manuals, but none seem to give much advice.

The closest I've seen to scientific treatment of the problem was in the February 2002 Ensign article "Tobacco: Quitting for Good." It provides links to professional and government organizations such as CDC and the Dept. of Health and Human Services. (Interestingly, this article is not included in the list of Ensign articles on ProvidentLiving.org.)

As a missionary, having never battled addiction before, it made sense to me that prayers and cinnamon were the answer to quitting. The push for baptisms perhaps squeezes out more effective or lasting approaches. The above referenced Ensign article states:

Because no single condition leads to tobacco dependence, no single solution cures smokers of their dependence on cigarettes. Some people are able to quit smoking easily, while some find quitting so difficult that they do not quit even when facing tobacco’s serious health problems. Smokers who believe that quitting smoking will be easy or that God will make it easy for them may become disillusioned if they experience the normal withdrawal symptoms or if they relapse back to smoking. Therefore, it is wise for smokers to take time to plan this important change carefully and prayerfully.

Successful treatment can include at least three components: (1) counseling and advice from a skilled, knowledgeable professional, with a focus on developing problem-solving skills, overcoming barriers to quitting, and preventing relapse; (2) support from friends and family members; and (3) the possible correct, careful use of legal stop-smoking medications, including nicotine replacement and other drugs tested for safety and effectiveness.

Can you imagine a missonary suggesting nictotine replacement? Some people quit cold-turkey and are successful. However this approach does not work for eveyone. In fact it is the least successful approach.

So when I hear the missionaries say that they are going to do a stop-smoking program with someone, I can't help but think, "Been there--done that--doubt it'll work." Do I have too little faith, or should we approach smoking from a different angle--a more effective angle? Should we have good evidence that investigators have overcome their WoW addictions before baptism?