One of the biggest struggles for quitters is managing stressful situations without picking up a cigarette. Everyday life is full of them, with grocery shopping right at the top of the list—especially if money is tight. To help cut down on your shopping-day anxiety, we put together some tips to help you be more organized and get the most out of your budget. Be sure to try them the next time you head to the grocery store!      Make a budget (and stick to it)  Budgeting for groceries helps you plan what you need in advance, and how much you expect to spend. Before heading ..read more

Every movement starts with big questions. What do you want to do? How are you going to do it? Who is it for? Quit Culture’s goal is to create a community that gives people trying to quit smoking a place to support each other and helps reduce smoking in Greater Cincinnati’s Black communities. That starts by offering positive support however we can. Wherever you are on your quitting journey, Quit Culture has resources, events and connections to real people (check out our Facebook Group!) that can help stop you from picking up another cigarette. Here are three of the biggest reasons why now is t ..read more

Since launching last year, Quit Culture has been working hard to create an authentic community where Quitters across Greater Cincinnati can connect and support each other … something that hasn’t always been easy thanks to the pandemic. As you probably know, most of our work has been focused on our Facebook community group and online resources, which is why it was SO exciting to recently attend an in-person event and meet some of our community members out in the real world.   In late-August, a few Quit Culture team members braved the heat to attend&n ..read more

Staying busy and trying new things are both great ways to stay on track with your quit journey. Thankfully, summertime in Greater Cincinnati is packed with tons of great (and free) socially distanced events to take your mind off of your next cigarette. If you’re looking for new things to try, here are some of the summer activities we’re most looking forward to.   Black Family Reunion   The Black Family Reunion is a three-day event that  ..read more

Money is often a topic of stress and anxiety…both of which are common smoking triggers. In our latest episode of Smoke Break, Kailah got into this topic with local CPA and all-around financial expert Raven-Symone Simon. During the interview, she shares some great tips to help you get smart on money. Here are a few of the highlights:      Understand the basics   When it comes to managing your money, knowledge is key. Learning how to pay bills, creating and sticking to a budget and investing are all important financial topics that can seem frightening to tackle ..read more

Welcome to Oh, Word?, a new blog series where Quit Culture partners share their stories, expertise and real-world experiences with tobacco. For this first post, we talked with Lawrence Cain Jr., author and CEO of Cincinnati-based Abundance University. Like many of us, Lawrence Cain Jr. grew up with smokers all around him. Cigarettes and their negative impact were a part of everyday life for the family. His great-grandfather was a lifelong smoker who started when he was just 8 years old. One of his aunts passed away unexpectedly due to smoking-related illness. And more recently, his grandmothe ..read more

January is a great time to establish new, healthier routines that will set you on the path to a smoke-free life. To help you start your quit journey, we’ve put together a few tips for not just setting the right goals, but achieving them.   After you read through these, be sure to sign up for the Smoke Break Challenge, which offers 30 days of tips, advice and encouragement, as well as a quit kit that we’ll mail directly to you!   Pick a quit date   Whe ..read more

This summer brought the heat and plenty of opportunities for fun in the sun. As fall rolls in, it’s time to start planning for fun-filled, smoke-free activities for the chillier weather. Thankfully, Cincinnati has plenty of fall happenings to keep you busy! Here are a few of our favorites.  Pumpkins, Apples and Corn Mazes  There are tons of farms around Greater Cincinnati that offer the opportunity to grab seasonal treats and join in other fun fall activities. Take advantage by&nb ..read more

COVID-19 has drastically altered our lives. It has affected how we interact with family and friends; restricted our ability to go to a movie theater, restaurant or gym; and, for many of us, it has affected our ability to earn a living. During times of uncertainty, it is normal to have feelings of anxiety, nervousness and fear. As a result, many people are relying on unhealthy coping mechanisms to relieve stress, such as smoking. As a former smoker, I know that smoking a cigarette can seem like the only outlet that you have for relieving stress. While most smokers want to quit, actually quitti ..read more

Welcome to Meet the Quitters, a series sharing the challenges, victories and tips from real world quit journeys. For our second installment, the Quit Culture team spoke with Aaron Penn about how he got started smoking, when he realized he needed help and a few tips for others looking to kick the habit.    Why did you start smoking?  “I started smoking because of the influence around me; it looked cool. It was something I wanted to do. It was just intriguing and that’s what got me to start.”  How old were you the first time you tried tobacco?  “The f ..read more