SEARHC - What's New - Klawock's Joseph family unites to quit smoking

Klawock's Joseph family unites to quit smoking

When Cora Joseph of Klawock went to Anchorage for surgery last June, she was told she couldn't smoke and would have to wear a nicotine patch while she stayed in the hospital.

Cora, 65 decided that was enough reason to quit smoking for good, and her husband (William Sr., 72), son (William Jr., 28) and daughter (Sabrina, 30, of Missoula, Mont.) decided to quit smoking with her. "It helped when we all quit at the same time. We encouraged each other," Cora said. "I'm glad we quit."

"She (Cora) used the patch and my son did, too," William Sr. said. "But I quit on my own. I just made up my mind one night. We all quit about the same time, and we haven't smoked since."

Cora was 13 when she started smoking. She was up to three packs a day when she was drinking, but was down to half a pack a day before she quit. William Sr. said he used to smoke four or five packs a day when he was purse seining, but when they decided to quit he could make a pack last four or five days.

William Sr. quit smoking once, but started again when his son said the smoke shop had a sale on William Sr.'s favorite brand. "During the ANB Convention I was telling them the reason so many of our people smoke now is because of our smoke shop," he said.

One reason Cora quit is because her father, a Lower 48 cab driver, died from cancer even though he didn't smoke. People smoked in his cab, and he had to breathe it. She said the only problem she has now is the second-hand smoke when she goes to bingo.

"I try to encourage them to quit," Cora said. "I'm starting to feel better and I'm trying to start walking. If I get the urge to smoke, I pop some chewing gum. I really don't need cigarettes anymore. My health is too important."

"I feel better," William Sr. said. "I could really smell it when someone was smoking. It's just a good feeling, I guess. We're doing better."

SEARHC offers three ways to get tobacco quit services on Prince of Wales Island — for quarterly quit groups with Deneise Weyhmiller call (755-4925), WISEWOMAN tobacco cessation for women ages 30-64 with Brenda Isaacs call (755-4983) and through SEARHC's toll-free tobacco quit line at 1-888-966-8875.

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