Anti-smoking resources a click away Published Oct. 16, 2008 By Tyler Patterson TriWest Healthcare Alliance SPOKANE, Wash. -- The military estimates that roughly one-third of active duty service members are smokers. According to the American Lung Association, a smoker's bad health begins to improve just 20 minutes after quitting smoking - and the sooner you quit, the greater the benefits become. That's why TriWest Healthcare Alliance and the Department of Defense are here to help. The DoD has launched smoking cessation programs on bases throughout the U.S. and opened a new Web site dedicated to helping service members "kick butt." The Web site, www.ucanquit2.org, tackles the smoking problem using tools and terms with which today's service-members are familiar. TriWest's Condition Management portal at www.triwest.com/beneficiary also offers a library of smoking cessation resources. Your primary care manager may be able to direct you to other smoking cessation resources and wellness programs run by your military treatment facility as well. While TRICARE itself does not offer services or supplies for cessation programs, the money you save on cigarettes alone will soon recover the cost of quitting. Whatever route to quitting you take, good luck. We're all behind you!