Focused to quit smoking? Then perhaps laser therapy can help

Florida — “I am never going to smoke again.” Those are the optimistic words of Lynn Sharkey, a new non-smoker, thanks to a procedure called Cold Laser Therapy. Deborah Marks is the person who brought cold laser therapy to this area with her business on Main Street in Florida. It started as something personal. Marks, who has never been a smoker but grew up with her father smoking, has four sons. All of them smoked even though she and her husband never did. “I know the damage smoking does,” said Marks. “Everyone hears about lung cancer and all who die from it. A friend mentioned this process to me about seven years ago. It was being done in Canada.” Marks researched it and found training in the process. She is now certified and part of a Food and Drug Administration trial study. “The process is painless,” said Marks. “It is designed to eliminate the natural craving for nicotine and is based on acupuncture points.” Marks said she could not give statistics since she is part of the FDA study, but she did say her success rate is “very high.” “It is much higher than patches or gum,” she said, referring to two highly touted ways to quit smoking. “And the great part is you are not adding more chemicals to your body. It is not invasive. You are getting your body to help itself naturally.” Most everyone knows the dangers of smoking. According to the Center for Disease Control, cigarette smoking is the most important preventable cause of premature death in the United States. It accounts for more than 440,000 deaths each year. Cigarette smokers have a higher risk of developing a number of chronic disorders. Atherosclerosis, which is a buildup of fatty substances in the arteries, is a chief contributor to the high number of deaths from smoking. Many studies detail the evidence that cigarette smoking is a major cause of coronary heart disease, which leads to heart attack. Cigarette smoking is so widespread and significant as a risk factor that the Surgeon General has called it the leading preventable cause of disease and deaths in the United States. Lynn Sharkey of Greenwood Lake had smoked for 31 years and quit “a hundred million times in the past.” She quit six years ago using Albutrin, a prescription drug used to help quash cravings associated with addiction. Then last year she had a fire in her house around Halloween. She bummed a cigarette from one of the firefighters and started smoking upwards of two packs a day. In August she had had enough. “I’m a nurse,” said Sharkey. “I know the dangers, but the addiction is that bad.” Since her treatment on Aug. 10, Sharkey has been successful. She is happy with the way she feels, especially since the chronic cough she developed is no longer there. “I can breathe so much better,” she said. “I feel great. I can’t explain how it works, but it did for me.” Tom Hughes is coming up on his one year smoke-free anniversary. Last November 7, this 20-year smoker went to Marks and had the laser done. “I don’t have the urge to smoke anymore,” said Hughes. “This was the ticket for me.” Hughes had tried to quit dozens of times. A co-worker had laser done in the state of Florida and told him about it. He sought out Marks and is now recommending her to more of his co-workers. ”I feel great,” he said. “I feel so much healthier. I breathe so much better.” And he did it at the urging of his six-year-old daughter who had wanted him to quit smoking for a long time. Marks said the procedure itself takes less than half an hour. It is preceded by a short counseling session to discuss why the patient is quitting. They discuss the health issues and what they can expect when they stop smoking. Then, after the procedure, they go over tips to help overcome the habit of smoking — the hand to mouth fixation. “We realize there is more to this than just wanting to quit,” said Marks. “We help you to overcome some of those habits and give advice on what to do instead.” The cost is $200 for the laser treatment, which entitles you to the original treatment and another visit, if necessary. “We offer two treatments,” said Marks, “although the majority of people only need one.” Considering what cigarettes cost - more than $5 per pack - the cost isn’t even an issue with most of her clients, according to Marks. Marks is now working with several companies who are encouraging their employees to quit the habit. Smoking employees, she said, cost companies thousands of dollars in lost productivity time because of sick time, increased cost in health benefits, and smoking breaks. Marks admits this is not a cure-all. It is not the answer for everyone. “People have to be in the right place in order to quit smoking,” she said. “They have to really want to do it.” Marks’ business is moving on November 1 to a newly renovated building on the corner of Main Street and Glenmere Avenue in the Village of Florida. It will fittingly be called New Beginnings Treatment Spa. As for her own family, three of her four sons are now non-smokers thanks to the laser treatment. She is hopeful her other son will join them soon. For more information on the laser treatment to quit smoking, check the Web at www.attentionsmokers.com.