Chase & Candace
Glenpool, OK
When we committed to quit together, like we had committed to our marriage, that’s when we were successful.
Just like tango, Chase and Candace learned that quitting tobacco also takes two. Take it from Chase, who said, “The fact that we quit together is so important. We had tried to quit separately, but we always failed. When we committed to it together, like we had committed to our marriage, that’s when we were successful.”
The couple chose their wedding anniversary in April as their quit date, but they started planning back in January. According to Candace, they used that time to “mentally prepare to quit,” which had been a big struggle in the past.
With support from the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline and each other, they successfully quit. They mostly relied on nicotine patches and supportive texts, which were “random boosts of support” for Candace. According to Chase, completing his full course of patches had a comforting, almost “psychosomatic” effect on him. As he put on his last patch, he said to himself, “After today, my body should feel just fine without this.” And it did!
Chase and Candace take pride in the fact that their two kids “will never remember their parents as smokers.” They strive to teach their kids how to live longer, healthier and happier lives — without tobacco.