HE NEW year normally brings pledges of trading in old ways for the new. Most people will put giving up smoking high on their New Year's resolution list this year, but quitting isn’t easy. Amer- ican surveys show that 70 per cent of that nation’s 55 million smokers have tried to quit at least once. Several establishments have innovations & indulgences Evelyn Jacob come up with innovative ways to help smokers kick the habit, and a sampling is offered below. The hard part is deciding which method will be most beneficial for you. One thing to remember: no centre can guarantee success. LASER THERAPY: North Van- couver’s Space-Age Therapy Cen- tre claims it can break your smok- ing habit after one visit. Using soft laser, therapists stim- ulate different points on the body. Although it remains unclear how the treatment eases quitting, en- thusiasts say the technique lessens the physical symptoms of the crav- ings, addiction and unpleasant withdrawal symptoms associated with smoking. Space-Age’s success rate, says Miller, is between 80 and 90 per cent. The more you want to quit, the better it works. A painless and hygenic way to quit smoking with a $100 pricetag. In celebration of Cold Turkey Day 40 - Sunday, January 7, 1990 - North Shore News NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION SPACE-AGE GY Therapy Cento since 1904) 220-1940 LONSDALE AVE., N.VAN. 983-2046 § OTHER LOCATIONS Local businesses are eager to help you quit smoking (Jan.24) prices will be reduced to $75 for the week of Jan.22. ¢ Space-Age Therapy Centre, 220-1940 Lonsdale Ave, N.V. 983-2046. © Laser Life Therapy Centre, 350-1425 Marine Dr. W.Y. 922- 41266. * Laser World Therapy Centre, 136 E. 14th, N.Y. 984-4040. HYPNOSIS/BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION: Most hyp- notherapists use a combination of hypnosis, counselling and behavior modification to help you quit smoking. Alpha Awareness Centre man- ager Pataz Mitha says his centre doesn’t use scare tactics or aver- sion therapy; instead a positive motivational approach is used to help clients end their addiction to smoking. A series of four sessions deal with everything from stress control to recognizing different forms of sabotage. The ce:.tre also encourages cus- tomers to envision themselves as non-smokers through hypnosis. While most stop smoking after one session, Mitha recommends attending all four. For $250 cus- tomers receive a full program plus a service guarantee which covers extra support for up to one year. Instead of picking up a cigarette Mitha encourages people to pick up the phone instead. ‘‘We can even do hypnosis over the phone and nip it in the bud.”’ « Alpha Awareness Centre, 205- 455 Granville Street. 681-7388. © Daniel Rutley and Associates, 134-140 E. 14th, N.V.. 986-9304. © Dr. Rachel Aarons, 23-285 17th St., W.V.. 922-7220. ¢ Estha Awareness Therapy, 1088 Chamberlain, N.V.. 987-5895. The Cancer Society offers a cata- logue of quit smoking programs in B.C. Call their information line, 879-2323 (or toll free 1-800-663- 4242). To celebrate Cold Turkey Day the Society is hosting the Adventist Health Network’s Breathe-Free program, a self-help program in a group setting which focuses on prevention and the ad- vantages of living a smoke-free Lasers are applied at points to help reduce a smoker's craving for a taste of the vile weed. pressure life. The cight one-hour sessions help people cope with addiction and withdrawal symptoms and provide support through a series of movies, instruction, discussion and a simple daily control plan. The program costs $25 per per- son offered in the Cancer Society’s board room at 565 W. 10th Avenue in Vancouver on the fol- lowing dates: Jan. 23, 25, 29, 30, 31, Feb. 1, 6 and 8 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Phone 294-1871 or 879- 5736 for more information. For those who don’t like group settings, a new quit smoking method called Smoke Stoppers will soon be available. Each do-it- yourself kit comes with an audio tape and book of instructions. The kit, at $97.95, will be available in early February. To order write the Cancer Contro! Society, #1702-77 NEWS photos Mike Waketleld LASER THERAPIST Dartene Miller uses her craft to help this client quit smcking. Bloor Street West, Toronto, On. M55 3Al1. OTHER: ACUPUNCTURE: It remains unclear just how getting poked with needles helps people kick the nicotine habit, but supporters say acupuncture helps reduce the phys- ical symptoms of withdrawal. Generally a course of treatments — usually half-hour sessions — lasts from two days to three months. NICOTINE GUM: Chewing gum helps smokers break the psychological habit without suf- fering nicotine withdrawai. To use properly, you have to chew slowly and intermittently for almost 30 minutes. Used incorrectly, many will experience hiccups, upset stomach and a sore mouth. Doc- tors suggest people try to gradually wean themselves off the gum — usually from three to six months. Some can become gum addicts. Listings for the centres in this column were taken from the cur- rent North Shore Yellow Pages. Community centres such as the North Shore YMCAs often offer low-cost quit smoking programs as well — call your local centre for details.