Take the Quit Dip and Chew Challenge Published Aug. 6, 2008 By From the Health and Wellness Center WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- Between August and October, active duty members of team Whiteman who either dip or chew are invited and encouraged to take the Quit Dip and Chew challenge to help them quit all forms of smokeless tobacco. The Whiteman Health and Wellness Center will be offering several different workshops, including three new ones to coincide with the challenge. These workshops include: Nicotine Addiction: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (new) Smokeless Tobacco: Facts and Myths (new) Quitting Smokeless Tobacco and Preventing Relapse Providing Support to the Quitter (new) Stress Reduction: Creating a Low Stress Lifestyle All of these resources are designed to help you prepare for quitting and to reduce the risk of relapse after quitting. Most dippers and chewers have either quit before or have thought about quitting in the past. Smokeless tobacco users often quit for health reasons. Dipping and chewing can cause tooth decay, gingivitis and recession of the gums. It can also cause oral cancers and long-term use increases risks for cancers of the cheek and gums. The nicotine from smokeless tobacco also raises blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Other reasons people site for living a tobacco free lifestyle include: Bad breath The cost of tobacco use Tired of the feeling of being controlled by the "habit" Promises made to family Perhaps you have quit before and relapsed, this is common and often due to the physical connection you may have with nicotine. This challenge offers you with the ideal opportunity to change your life and provides the resources and skill building opportunities for living a tobacco free lifestyle. So if you are ready, grab a buddy, either someone else ready to quit or an individual (spouse, co-worker, etc) willing to help provide you with encouragement and support, and contact the HAWC to make an appointment to get started. . Please call the HAWC directly at 687-7662 to make an appointment, sign-up for the challenge and pick up your Whiteman Air Force Base ball cap.