Kicking the tobacco habit: a personal story

  • Published
  • By Maj. Lisa Tauai
  • Ramstein Health and Wellness Center
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  November is the Air Force's Quit Tobacco Use month, which is the perfect time to make strides to adopt a lifestyle change that will ultimately lead to an improved quality of life and overall health. However, kicking the tobacco habit is certainly not an easy thing to do. Those of us who haven't been a previous tobacco user may understand the dangers of tobacco use but will never truly know the impact these products have on our overall health. As nicotine is so addictive, it often takes members up to eight times or more to successfully lead a tobacco-free lifestyle. Tech. Sgt. Osmundo Villegas, Ramstein Health and Wellness Center NCOIC, can personally attest to this fact. 

Sergeant Villegas was a tobacco user for 16 years of his life which played a toll on his health, his duty performance and on his personal life. His prior days of competitive wrestling came to a screeching halt when he became addicted to nicotine often smoking up to a pack and a half of cigarettes a day. Once he decided to venture on the path of tobacco cessation, it took him seven different attempts to successfully kick the habit, but he finally managed to kick the tobacco habit and has been tobacco-free for over a year now. Sergeant Villegas represents a beacon of hope to any tobacco user who learns of his story. This is evident in the Freshstart tobacco cessation classes he facilitates in which he manages to obtain a 100 percent graduation rate routinely ... an unheard of feat in the realm of Air Force health promotions. 

If you are a tobacco user, the Ramstein HAWC team encourages you to sign up for our Freshstart tobacco cessation program. The tools you learn in the course coupled with Sergeant Villegas' knowledge and support may very well help you accomplish what he managed to do. Any ID card holder may attend the program which is being offered on three difference occasions during the month of November in honor of the Air Force's Quit Tobacco Use Month. If you are not ready to attend the program but would still like to learn of helpful tobacco cessation tools and resources, please log onto the Make Everyone Proud campaign at www.ucanquit2.org. 

The Ramstein HAWC team is also spear heading a tobacco cessation facilitator course Nov. 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the HAWC for those members interested in becoming certified to facilitate the Freshstart tobacco cessation program at the unit level. 

For additional information on these programs and other health and wellness programs and services, please contact the HAWC staff at 480-4292 or 480-HAWC or log onto our Web site.