BDO: How is this app different from other quit smoking tools and quit smoking apps that are out on the market right now?
Dr. Rizzo: Well several ways it’s different. The main thing is it’s interactive in a real-time basis. It’s a resource for education. It’s also a resource for you to reach out to your community of support, and also can be a resource to reach out to a physician 24/7 [who] can be available on this app. There’s also the ability to develop a ‘quit fund’ of financial resources to help you potentially pay for some smoking cessation medication or even reward yourself when you reach a milestone. So, there’s multiple resources this app gives you that other apps and online services do not provide.
BDO: In addition to downloading this app and creating their quit plan, what are some other things that smokers can do to get around some of these barriers and challenges to quitting?
Dr. Rizzo: Well, the main thing I mentioned is discuss it with your physician. Let him know you want to quit. Help him discuss with you the personal journey you’re gonna have because every individual quits different ways, different reasons. Medications may be helpful, counseling may be helpful, so bring your physician into the loop. Offer to make him part of your Quitter’s Circle. Do that and also download the app and you should be on your way to a more successful chance of quitting.
BDO: For smokers who want to quit and of course their family and friends who want to help them do that, where can they go for more information?
Dr. Rizzo: The online community is QuittersCircle.com. You can download the mobile app from that site or you can download it from the App Store on your mobile device. It’s Quitter’s Circle.