There are many reasons to quit smoking: healthier living, saving money, or receiving a health diagnosis. Equally numerous are the methods found online—from hypnosis to nicotine patches to injections—but most have one thing in common: a sustainable smoke-free life without professional support is difficult to achieve, and relapse rates are high. MHH’s partner clinics often receive inquiries from patients about recommended smoking cessation programs. From a scientific perspective, the certified "Smoke-Free Program" provides the most sustainable method for quitting smoking, with the lowest relapse rates. This certified program is based on cognitive behavioral therapy techniques and is conducted in a group setting. Since such a program wasn’t available in the Hannover region in 2020, we decided, with financial support from the Sparkasse Hildesheim Goslar Peine Foundation, to establish the "Smoke-Free Program" ourselves.

Dr. Meike Jungen, a specialist in Internal Medicine and Pneumology who worked in the MHH’s Pneumology Clinic in 2020, completed the course leader training for our program. Dr. Jungen’s specialty is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is often caused by years of smoking. As a pulmonologist, she knows how crucial smoking cessation is as a treatment step. Through conversations with her patients, she also understands the difficulty of quitting smoking. Her motivation to support her patients in taking this important step drives her to offer the Smoke-Free Program in addition to her medical practice.

Since 2021, Dr. Jungen has guided 81 people in eleven courses on their journey to a smoke-free life, including MHH staff. With increasing referrals from past participants and more doctors in the Hannover area informing their patients about our program, we are seeing a growing number of interested individuals. More than 30 people attended our recent information session on November 1st, and the November course quickly reached full capacity. Due to high demand, Dr. Jungen has decided to offer the next course in January/February 2025. On January 24, 2025, from 3:00 to 4:00 pm, she will provide an overview of the program’s content and methods and answer questions in an open information session.

For registration for the free information session in January/February 2025, new course dates, and all details about the Smoke-Free Program at MHH, please visit: www.mhh-rauchfrei.de

Text: BREATH/AB
Foto: privat