How the rules around you are layered
If you are thinking about stopping smoking or vaping in Augusta, it helps to know which rules already shape your day. There are three layers, and each one is narrower than the last.
The first is state law. The Georgia rules for the Smokefree Air Act of 2005, published by the Secretary of State and cited below, bar smoking in enclosed public places and in enclosed areas of workplaces, except where the Act allows it. The same rules say the state Department and the county boards of health enforce the Act, and that any citizen who wants to file a complaint can start that process with the Department.
The second layer is local. A fact sheet on the Augusta-Richmond County website describes a county smokefree ordinance that took effect on Jan. 1, 2019. It says all enclosed indoor workplaces and public buildings in the county are smokefree and vapefree. Smoking or vaping can happen a reasonable distance outdoors from those buildings, and the sheet notes that golf courses and other outdoor spaces are not covered. Ordinances can be amended, so check the county's current code if a specific place matters to you.
The third layer applies to one large institution. Augusta University's Tobacco Free Policy bars tobacco use on any property the university owns, leases or controls, including parking lots, parking decks, green space and the sidewalks next to its buildings. The policy's definition reaches electronic cigarettes and other electronic nicotine devices, and it applies to students, faculty, staff, contractors and visitors.
Why the rules matter when you plan
If you work or study at the university, the policy already removes smoking and vaping from a big share of your day, including the walk to your car. If you work elsewhere in the county, the ordinance means your indoor workday is already smokefree and vapefree. Many people find it useful to notice where the remaining moments happen: on a drive, at home, on a patio, or during a break outdoors. Those are the moments a plan has to cover.
Who you can find on Stop Smoking Pros
Stop Smoking Pros is a plain list of independent providers: stop-smoking coaches, consulting hypnotists and group programs. We do not run any program and we do not check anyone's credentials. We introduce you to providers so you can talk with them directly and decide for yourself.
Questions to ask a provider
- What format do you offer: one-on-one coaching, a group program, or something else?
- How many meetings are typical, and over how many weeks?
- Do you meet in person, by phone or by video?
- What do you ask people to do between meetings?
- What happens if I slip and smoke or vape again partway through?
- What is the full cost, and is there a cancellation policy?
Write down each answer. Comparing two or three providers side by side makes it easier to choose one whose approach fits your life.
Be cautious of anyone who makes big promises. A good conversation will focus on your routines, your triggers and a schedule you can keep.
Fitting meetings into an Augusta week
If your job is on a university campus, ask whether a provider can meet by video during a lunch break, since you cannot smoke or vape on campus anyway and may want support during the workday. If you commute in from Columbia County or from across the state line, an evening video meeting may be easier than an in-person one. If you prefer a group, ask where it meets and at what time, and keep in mind that any drive time is approximate.
If you have questions about whether stopping smoking or vaping is right for you alongside other conditions, talk with your own doctor or another qualified health professional. A coach or hypnotist is not a substitute for that conversation.
Working with the places you already go
The places in your week that are already smokefree and vapefree can be part of your plan. A lunch hour inside a county workplace, an afternoon on university grounds, or an indoor meeting are already covered by the rules described above. Some people choose to start their plan on a weekday for exactly that reason, when more of their hours fall inside those settings.
Weekends and evenings are often where the harder moments live. Ask any provider you talk with how they help people prepare for those times, and build your plan around your actual Augusta routine rather than a generic one.