It's not uncommon to see truck drivers smoking while driving.
In fact, it has been estimated that nearly 50 percent of all truckers smoke.
Helping truckers quit smoking can be the first step to some of these truckers to live a healthier life.
Below are some reasons to quit smoking and some ways to begin the process for you or a loved one.
Unfortunately, smoking, poor eating habits, and lack of exercise adds up to creating health issues for drivers.
Many employers have noticed the effects smoking has on their drivers.
It causes more deaths that alcohol, car accidents, suicide, and illegal drugs combined.
It also costs more than $75 billion each year in health-related costs.
Because smoking is so dangerous, many companies are offering their employees an incentive to quit smoking as part of their benefits package.
Nicotine patches, counseling sessions, and other options are used to help drivers quit smoking.
The cost of smoking cessation programs costs the employer approximately $900 per participant.
Smokers, on average, use up to $16,000 per year in health benefits.
Many truck drivers say that quitting smoking is difficult because nicotine is a stimulant.
They say smoking helps them focus on what's going on around them.
Despite what truck drivers believe, it is still healthier for them to quit.
One of the most common ways to quit smoking is by using nicotine replacement.
They come in patches that you can get over-the-counter at pharmacies.
You can also get a prescription patch, and now there's a nicotine replacement pill.
These systems are designed to help a smoker become less dependent upon the nicotine.
They are expensive, however.
If you don't mind going the non-traditional route to stop smoking, you may want to try hypnosis.
It has been used for years but there really isn't a way to measure this method's success.
You can, however, measure the success of electroshock therapy.
When you start smoking, you can put a 9-volt battery to your tongue.
It's supposed to make smoking something you want to avoid, and treatment centers claim it has a high success rate.
Finally, you can either call a hotline for those trying to quit smoking or find a support group to help you.
These options allow you to talk about why you want to stop smoking, what triggers you to smoke, and what you can do to stop.
Call the National Cancer Institute at (877) 448-7848 or (800) QUIT-NOW.
Smoking is one of the factors for people developing high blood pressure as well as being a major cause for lung cancer.
If you or a loved one is a trucker, helping truckers quit smoking is a worthy goal.
Use the ideas above to help you or your loved one quit.