Using this guide
This guide breaks the process of finding a provider in Lake Charles, for anyone planning to stop smoking or vaping, into steps you can take one at a time. Skip any that don't apply to you.
Step 1: Map where you already can't smoke
Start with the places where the rules already make it hard to smoke. Louisiana's R.S. 40:1291.11, cited below, bars smoking in public buildings, schools, and public places and enclosed areas inside workplaces. If you work indoors anywhere in Calcasieu Parish, that probably includes your job.
If you have any tie to McNeese State University, add its policy too. The university's Tobacco and Vapor Use Policy keeps tobacco and vapor products out of its buildings, enclosed areas and university vehicles and bars smoking or vaping within 25 feet of its buildings. Write down the hours you spend in those places. Those are stretches of your day that are already smoke-free.
Step 2: Notice the exceptions in your routine
The state law also lists exemptions, including bars, retail tobacco businesses, designated gaming smoking areas and outdoor patios. Think about whether any of your regular stops fall into those categories. You don't have to avoid them for months, but it helps to know which places may be harder in the first weeks and to plan what you'll do there.
Step 3: Pick a start date
Choose a date a week or two out. Avoid a week packed with deadlines or travel. Tell someone you trust so they know what's coming.
Step 4: Decide what kind of help you want
Think about what has helped you stick with other changes:
- If you like structure and accountability, a one-on-one coach may suit you.
- If you're curious about relaxation and focused attention, a consulting hypnotist offers non-clinical sessions.
- If you draw energy from other people, a group program meets on a set schedule.
You can also combine approaches. For questions about products or medicines, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Step 5: Request introductions
Use the directory to contact two or three independent providers serving Lake Charles. Mention whether you smoke, vape, or both, and what days and times you're free.
Step 6: Ask the same questions of each one
Comparing providers is easier if you ask everyone the same things:
- How many sessions do you plan, and over what period?
- Are sessions in person in Lake Charles, by video, or both?
- What support is there between sessions?
- What do you charge, and how do cancellations work?
- How often do you see people who vape?
Steer clear of anyone who makes sweeping promises. A provider should be clear about what they offer and honest about what they can't promise.
Step 7: Book and prepare
Once you choose, book your first session close to your start date. Clear your car, desk and home of cigarettes, lighters or vape devices. Plan a replacement for the moments you usually smoke, such as a short walk, a glass of water or a call to a friend.
Step 8: Plan for commutes and shift changes
Many people in the area drive in from Sulphur, Westlake or Moss Bluff, and long drives are a common smoking time. Have something else ready for the car. If you work shifts, ask your provider about sessions that fit odd hours.
Step 9: Line up support at home and at work
Tell the people you live with, and the coworker you usually take breaks with, what you're doing and what would help. Ask a smoker at home to keep their cigarettes or vape out of shared spaces for a while. If your job involves long shifts, plan what you'll do on breaks before the first one arrives.
Step 10: Check in with yourself after a few weeks
After three or four weeks, look back. What helped? What was harder than expected? Share that with your provider and adjust the plan. If you slip, look at it as information rather than failure and keep going.
About the directory
This directory introduces you to independent providers. It doesn't run programs or check credentials, so ask each provider about their background. The state law and the McNeese policy described above come from the official pages cited below; check them for current wording.