Destiny Williams
Feature Audience Analysis
Publication: Family Circle
Subject: Physical Health, Self-Improvement
Working Title: “The natural way to quit”
Purpose: To give smokers an herbal alternative to quitting smoking
Audience: Cigarette smokers looking to quit
Why do people read this publication regularly?
The audience of this particular magazine reads this magazine because it is directed toward a
healthier lifestyle for living and offers health, exercising, and dieting tips.
What does the audience already know about the subject?
The audience already knows the effects of smoking tobacco cigarettes has on their health and the
benefits of quitting. A majority of the audience is also likely to know of the more popular
methods of quitting, with some possibly have already tried those methods.
What does the audience need to know about the subject?
The audience needs to be aware that there is another option available to help on stop smoking,
being one that does not use nicotine or prescription pills. Herbal remedies are a healthier
alternative to the two, with many of the ingredients having been used for hundreds or thousands
of years.
Describe why you are, or are not, a member of this discourse community?
I am not a member of this community only because I just recently gained interest in writing on
the topic of health and wellness. I also am not an expert in any area or field of health and
wellness so I have no credibility, thus keeping me out of the community.
What would you have to do to gain membership or retain membership?
It is best to have expertise knowledge, particularly a medical degree, when writing in the field,
be it nutrition, fitness, etc. Just being knowledgeable in the area being written about and having
credible sources to back the claims made can usually suffice if the writer is without any type of
degree.
Identify the problems you anticipate in establishing credibility.
I have no formal training when it comes to herbalism, so it will be difficult to establish enough
ethos to persuade the audience to believe what I am saying is truthful.
Identify the strategies you plan to use in overcoming credibility problems.
To overcome any credibility problems I will make sure to sufficiently use enough credible
sources who are established experts in the field to back and support my claims.
What specific response(s) do you hope to elicit from the audience?
I hope to give my audience the tools that can possibly help someone who wants to quit smoking
tobacco cigarettes stop. This offers them an alternative that helps them stop smoking and through
the withdrawal period.
Destiny Williams
580 Wiley Court
Merritt Is., FL 32952
(321) 806-9522
April 27, 2015
Ms. Michele Promaulayko
Editor in Chief of Women’s Health
Ms. Promaulayko,
According to the US Department of Health & Human Services nearly 98% are
college-aged people (18-26) are more likely to be smoking or beginning to smoke. Which in
turn means the sooner the habit develops the longer it has to become more addictive. Those
who do smoke know it is a tough habit to quit and many have tried different methods to
stop. I know many smokers and all admit it is a difficult habit to kick. This article is for
those who are trying to stop smoking and have tried methods like nicotine patches, nicotine
gum, vaping, and/or prescription medications. It is a healthier alternative, using natural
remedies that can be used to help with the quitting process as well as the withdrawal
period.
My article “The natural way to quit smoking” will not include information about
the harmful effects of tobacco nor many statistics about tobacco itself, because a majority
of the audience is already well aware of the effects on their health. The article focuses on
introducing natural remedies using ingredients such as passionflower, oats, Calamus,
ginseng, and other herbs/plants that may help through the quitting process. With this
information those who want to quit can try an option that may help them with the process
of quitting and through the withdrawal period. If followed carefully, it will help someone
looking to quit smoking through the rough process, making it as easy as possible and
making them aware of any warnings related to the remedy as well.
I have enclosed my article “The natural way to quit smoking” and hope you get a
chance to read it. Thank you very much for taking the time to consider my article for
Women’s Health; I feel that it will fit well into your “Health” category. I hope to hear from
you soon.
Sincerely,
Destiny Williams
dw1256@Knights.ucf.edu
“The natural way to quit”
In today’s culture the majority of the population knows and understands the harmful
effects of smoking tobacco cigarettes and that it would be beneficial for their health to quit. It is
also very well known that two of the biggest effects of smoking tobacco cigarettes are the
addictive nicotine and the difficulty associated with quitting. Cigarette companies target younger
audiences because according to the US Department of Health & Human Services, most smoking
addiction develop before the age of 26, and because of this it becomes a habit that is harder to
quit the longer a person does it. This article is not meant to inform smokers about the harmful
effects associated with tobacco nor will many statistics on tobacco or tobacco users be presented,
they already know this information. This article is meant to help those looking for a healthier
alternative for quitting smoking that will also help them through the withdrawal period.
There are many advertised ways to help a smoker stop smoking; from using nicotine
patches, chewing nicotine gum, taking prescription pills, and as of recently, vaping. While
nicotine patches and gum work for some users looking to stop, the nicotine given to them
through the patches or gum keeps them addicted and some are never fully able to wean
themselves off of the addictive chemical. Some vaping juices also contain nicotine and although
vaping is considered to be less harmful than tobacco cigarettes some users (be it by their choice)
are still addicted to the nicotine. Then there are those that have tried prescription pills, such as
Chantrix, which cause extreme side effects that may not be worth quitting to a smoker such as
bizarre dreams, suicidal thoughts, nausea, etc. It is hard to find a method that suits one person
that can help them quit, help them through the withdrawal process, and keep them from going
back to the habit.
A remedy that is not so highly advertised that does not use man-made chemical
compounds, is using herbal remedies like licorice, lobelia, ginseng, passionflower, etc. which can
both help a smoker through the process of quitting as well as alleviate many withdrawal
symptoms associated with quitting. Using well known herbs, spices, and plants is a healthier way
to begin the process of quitting and to help a smoker get through the withdrawal period after
smoking cessation. Like any medicine that is continuously used, each and every herbal remedy
that will be named or presented should be thoroughly researched because some do have usage
warnings. As well as researching the following remedies before using them, anyone
contemplating using a remedy should consult a doctor before beginning any regimen. It is
important to heed this disclaimer because otherwise the herbal remedies may have the opposite
desired effect, or negative side effects.
There are a few common herbal remedies that aid in the actual quitting process. These
particular remedies assist by helping curb cigarette cravings and kill the taste for tobacco. One
herbal remedy for quitting would be Lobelia, also known as “Indian Tobacco,” which is a great
way for smokers to begin weaning off of cigarettes and nicotine. Luke Anderson of the Phoenix
project says Lobelia has, “an active ingredient in this herb [which] closely resembles
nicotine…But it is not addictive” which allows users a chance to decrease their tobacco/nicotine
intake and begin the quitting process without becoming addicted to another chemical
(Anderson). Rather than replacing nicotine with another addictive chemical Lobelia replaces it
with a similar ingredient that has less harmful effects and disallows users to become addicted,
thus weaning them off of cigarettes.
A few herbs that aid in curbing the nagging cravings as well as the oral fixations
associated with smoking include passionflower, Calamus root, and licorice root. Chewing on a
Calamus root is meant aid in killing the taste for tobacco as well as aid in calming anxieties and
reviving energy. Monica Wilde, owner of Napiers the Herbalists, says, “Calamus is calming but
not a sedative…At the same time, it simultaneously boosts vitality and vigour” which is what all
smokers going without a cigarette are feeling, anxious and empty of energy, ready for a pick-meup (Wilde). Wilde continues on to say that if one is trying to stop smoking, she recommends
chewing on a piece of Calamus root which may help curb cravings. Chewing on licorice root is
meant to satisfy the oral fixations smokers have and passionflower is said to reduce nicotine
cravings. Any of the four herbs mentioned, as well as many others, can help assist in the process
of quitting smoking tobacco cigarettes.
To help those going through the withdrawal process after quitting there are certain herbal
remedies that assist in alleviating the most common nicotine withdrawal symptoms such as
anxiety, headaches, insomnia, respiratory problems, and nausea. Herbal remedies like oats and
skullcap can help with the anxiety and nervousness associated with nicotine withdrawals, both
remedies also help with insomnia and sleeping problems. Korean Ginseng and previously
mentioned Calamus also help improve sleeping habits and less anxiety but they aid in other
withdrawal symptoms as well. Korean Ginseng helps with breathing and respiratory problems
which occur during and after smoking tobacco cigarettes, it helps with mucous build up and lung
irritation. Calamus acts as a digestive aid helping quitters keep their appetite, which can be lost
after quitting; Wilde says Calamus “perks up the appetite. It is used for treating stomach cramps,
heartburn, dyspepsia, and flatulent colic” and claims it used among many in the case of stomach
or intestinal problems (Wilde). Any of the previously mentioned herbal remedies, among others,
can help with the withdrawal period.
Herbal remedies are a healthier alternative to help smokers quit smoking tobacco
cigarettes because unlike nicotine patches, gum, or certain vapors for vaping the herbal remedies
have a lack of nicotine which does not further the addiction. As well as not enabling the
addiction and helping someone quit, it helps with the stresses caused by quitting smoking. The
herbal remedies can help with the quitting process and through the withdrawal period without
putting man-made chemical compounds into someone’s body. The remedies are using naturally
grown items that have been used for many years and generations to treat ailments. Again though,
always make sure to do thorough research as well as consult a medical physician before
beginning a continuous use of any of the herbal remedies. Quitting is hard and not everyone who
wishes to quit can find something to help them succeed in their goal of quitting but with herbal
and natural remedies many different herbs, plants, spices, and concoctions can be found/made to
suit any person.
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Works Cited
Anderson, Luke. "Stop Smoking Herbal." Phoenix Project. 8 Jan. 2014. Web. 25 Apr. 2015
Wilde, Monica. "Calamus Aka Sweet Flag ~ the Singer's Root and Forager's Spice." Wilde in the
Woods. 11 May 2013. Web. 27 Apr. 2015.