Sonora, CA…Sonora Regional Medical Center is offering the American Lung Association’s Freedom From Smoking® course which begins January 31. Classes will meet at the Live Well Be Well Center on Greenley Road from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. each Tuesday and one Thursday for seven weeks.

Freedom From Smoking provides a supportive group environment where adults work through the quitting process together with guidance from a respiratory therapist. According to the American Lung Association, “Research has proven that the more time a smoker spends in a supportive situation, the more likely he or she is to succeed. People who use [Freedom From Smoking] are six times more likely to be smokefree one year later than those who quit on their own.”

Class participants will learn about:
-Medicines that can help you stop smoking
-Lifestyle changes that make quitting easier
-Preparing for Quit Day
-Managing stress
-Avoiding weight gain
-Developing a new self-image
-How to stay smoke-free for good

This class is covered by most private insurance and Medicare. For those without insurance or whose insurance does not cover the class, $50 scholarships and discounts are available.

For more information or to register for the course, please call 209-536-3726.