EMPLOYERS ENCOURAGED TO HELP EMPLOYEES MAKE A SMOOTH TRANSITION INTO COMPLIANCE WITH NEW NONSMOKING LAW
Phoenix, April 17, 2007 — Not much legislation has received as much buzz as the new nonsmoking law set to go into effect statewide in Arizona on May 1. Most news reports on the subject, however, have dealt with enforcement issues and potential legalities faced by employers who do not comply. Few have touched on the subject of how the law will affect smokers — employees and patrons — in the few remaining establishments that still permit smoking, namely bars and restaurants.
Valley hypnotherapist, Valerie Dawson, believes the time is perfect for those who have been considering giving up cigarettes for good to commit to it — and she has the perfect tool to make it easy and effortless.
"Most people know that by stopping smoking they will save thousands of dollars a year; they could add years to their life; and they could save their health before it’s too late," Dawson says. "They may disguise it a hundred different ways, but when it comes down to it, most people continue to smoke because of they fear that quitting is going to be too painful and difficult, Dawson explains. "Hypnotherapy can make all the difference."
Although the new law may ultimately affect everyone’s health for the better, employers in particular, can truly make a difference to their employees and themselves by encouraging their staff to take advantage of this opportunity to give up cigarettes for good. Otherwise, the 20-foot smoke-free buffer zone required by the new legislation could create longer smoking breaks, resulting in greater workflow interruption.
Dena Cameron of Bill Johnson’s restaurant saw the advantage of assisting her employee, Sandy Davison to become smoke-free. Generally speaking, the more ownership the smoker takes of the decision to quit, the greater the likelihood of his/her actually becoming a permanent non-smoker. In Sandy’s case, it was the very support of her employer that gave her the confidence to finally end a 55-year addiction to cigarettes, using Dawson’s hypnosis method. "The fact that Dena paid was just huge. If she hadn’t backed me in this, I think it would have been so much easier to go pick up a cigarette again."
Dawson’s hypnosis technique makes quitting easy, regardless of how long someone has been smoking. "Lifelong smokers become happy nonsmokers," describes Dawson of her treatment program. "When smokers try to stop through other methods, they suffer misery and depression because they feel they are being deprived of a pleasure or a crutch. The beauty of the way I use hypnosis is that it removes this feeling of deprivation. It removes the need and desire to smoke. People have no need for substitutes like nicotine gum or patches, inhalers or nasal sprays."
One of the huge benefits to quitting smoking, of course, is the money to be saved. Two of Dawson’s clients, Scot Cummins, who has been smoke-free for two and a half years, and Cathy Barnes, who quit smoking three years ago, figure they’ve each saved at least $9,000 since they stopped smoking.
Many of the people for whom hypnosis is working have been life-long smokers. Take Jacqueline Gasson, who had smoked for 30 years before using hypnosis to quit. "I tried the patch, gum, everything that’s out there. I didn’t want to quit really, I enjoyed smoking too much," Gasston said. "I would try to quit for other people, and you can’t really do that. [Valerie] addressed the fact that the problem with smoking was not nicotine addiction – it was enjoying it, and that’s what I had to get over."
No fewer than seven medical doctors in the Valley and around the country have endorsed Dawson’s hypnosis program to help their patients end their cigarette addictions. Phoenix physician, Constantia Abarikwu, MD, is one doctor who has recommended Valerie: "I believe hypnosis is a viable adjunct therapy to other conventional smoking cessation treatments. I have sent my patients to Valerie’s clinic for hypnosis, and they report they’ve had good success with her hypnosis methods."
Employers wishing to facilitate a nonsmoking program on behalf of their employees are encouraged to contact Dawson for a description of available group discounts.
Valerie Dawson, MSW, CHt has been a hypnotherapist for 18 years. She has undertaken special training in hypnosis techniques for smoking cessation and has helped hundreds of people quit successfully with her Easy Quit Hypnosis Program. You can find full details and a free audio trial at this website.
