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A change in behavior is the key to quitting smoking, says Marcia Brown-Machen, director for the city’s Tobacco Prevention Program, which is sponsoring a free six-week smoking cessation class. 

The program will help smokers identify the triggers and stressors in their lives that cause them to smoke. The ultimate goal is “to best create an environment for yourself where you can quit,” Brown-Machen said.  

Many people who quit try six or seven times before they break the habit, Brown-Machen said. The stop-smoking class will be repeated every two months.  

“Some people have to go through this class multiple times,” she said. 

In addition to the behavior modification, Brown-Machen said many students compliment the class with other resources. Some use a new medication called Ziban, which was originally used as an antidepressant and has been found to help people trying to quit smoking, she said.  

Others use nicotine replacement therapies such as the patch, nose sprays, nicotine gum and inhalers. They may also use hypnosis and acupuncture. 

People who attend the classes will learn that they need to go through five stages to change their behavior. The first is pre-contemplation, beginning to think about quitting. That’s followed by contemplation, then action, then trial – trying out and evaluating the new behavior. Finally, there is adopting the new behavior, or actually quitting smoking.  

Classes are limited to 20 people, but usually end up with six to eight students, Brown-Machen said. “We have a high drop-out rate. Many of the people are ambitious at first, but people have to be motivated.”  

She said much of this motivation comes from other people disapproving of the smoking habit, especially from people for whom the smoker cares. Conversely, friends’ support is very important to smokers who are trying to kick the addiction. 

The success rate is typically 10 to 20 percent, Brown-Machen said. 

She said has seen classes where 25 percent of the people are still not smoking six months after the class. She said the class is good because people decide a quit date as a group and then work toward that goal together.  

The class leader will be Carolyn Aust who has had extensive experience leading classes both for Kaiser Permanente and for the American Lung Association.  

Brown-Machen said that the program, which is funded by revenues created by a quarter-per-pack tax initiated by Proposition 99, would like to reach those people who have made New Year’s resolutions to quit smoking. 

The “Freedom from Tobacco” classes begin January 18 and runs for six Thursday evenings, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the South Berkeley Senior Center, 2939 Ellis St. Berkeley residents and employees are asked to call 644-6422 and leave a message or e-mail the Tobacco Prevention Program at quitnow@ci.berkeley.ca.us.