The addictive substance in tobacco is nicotine. When you smoke, nicotine reaches your brain within 20 seconds. It triggers your brain to release dopamine, which is a chemical that makes you feel good. By activating this reward center in your brain, nicotine causes both a physical and psychological addiction. Research has found that nicotine is as addictive as opioid drugs. Smoking cessation at Urgent Care + TeleHealth is a process that combines medication and behavioral counseling which we offer to people at our clinics in Napa and Benicia.

Quitting smoking is one of the most important things you can do to protect your cardiovascular health. Your blood circulation will improve, and your risk of a heart attack or stroke begins to drop within a day of stopping smoking. Quitting smoking also lowers your risk of upper respiratory infections and COPD. If you already have COPD, your symptoms will begin to improve within days of quitting smoking. Quitting smoking lowers your risk of developing 12 types of cancer, including cancer of the stomach, lungs, pancreas, larynx, liver, colon and cervix. Smoking cessation also saves you money and reduces your healthcare costs. Your risk of requiring hospitalization or dying if you’re diagnosed with COVID-19 drops if you quit smoking.

People who smoke have a higher risk of developing severe disease from COVID-19. When a smoker gets infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, they have a higher risk of requiring hospitalization and extreme life-saving measures, such as intubation.

Smoking lowers an adult’s lifespan by 10 years or more. People who smoke have more chronic diseases, including COPD, peripheral arterial disease, atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.

People who smoke get sick more frequently and more severely when they acquire a respiratory infection. They’re more likely to develop bronchitis or pneumonia than a non-smoker.

Smoking causes unsightly yellow and brown stains on teeth. It also increases the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures. Smoking speeds cognitive declines. When a pregnant woman smokes, her child has a higher risk of genetic disorders and asthma.

When you smoke, nicotine is sent to your brain, where it attaches to nicotine receptors and causes dopamine to be released. Dopamine is the chemical that is responsible for making you feel good. The problem is that when dopamine levels drop, you’ll want another cigarette.

Chantix helps break the addiction cycles by attaching to nicotine receptors in the brain, so that nicotine can’t. When you take Chantix, dopamine is still released, but at a lower level than with nicotine helping you gradually give us nicotine.

We sometimes pair Chantix with other medications, behavioral counselling and support to enhance your chances of quitting smoking for good.

Scheduling appointments at our urgent care centers is easy. We offer online scheduling and same-day appointments when possible, so you don’t have to wait for weeks or even months to get help with quitting smoking.

Our smoking cessation services are coordinated by board-certified doctors and supported by certified physician assistants and nurse practitioners.. Each of your visits with us will be efficient and personalized to your needs and each person’s treatment plan is individually tailored.

Your visits with our experienced healthcare team can include any lab tests you need. We can monitor your cholesterol, blood pressure and other conditions affected by smoking so that you can see the improvement after quitting smoking. Our smoking cessation program is comprehensive and includes the psychological and social support that you need in order to overcome nicotine addiction.

To learn more about our smoking cessation services or to schedule a same-day appointment with one of our healthcare providers, contact us today.