Smoking Cessation Expert Saved Lives at WMMR Studios

To commemorate the 49th anniversary of the Great American Smokeout, psychotherapist and hypnotherapist, Dr. Steven Rosenberg visited WMMR Studios, 231 St. Asaphs Road, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004, on November 20, where he joined WMMR on-air hosts Preston & Steve to help a group of listeners kick the smoking and vaping habit.

In a career spanning over 40 years as a therapist, Dr. Rosenberg has helped more than 50,000 people quit smoking for good and pioneered the Great American Smokeout in Philadelphia more than 30 years ago. A group of five WMMR listeners joined Dr. Rosenberg for a hypnotherapy session in a conference room at WMMR. The event was covered on-air by Preston & Steve.

Everyone knows that smoking and vaping is bad for you. Unfortunately, stress brought about by economic woes, the Federal government shutdown, and other factors has caused some people to turn or return to bad habits, like smoking or vaping, as a way to cope. Smoking cigarettes and vaping both release dopamine, the feel-good hormone, in the brain by way of nicotine. This is a big reason why it is so hard to quit these habits.

Past events conducted at WMMR by Dr. Rosenberg have yielded amazing results for the participants, many of whom had tried countless other ways to quit smoking/vaping without success. They left the studio free of the desire to smoke another cigarette or suck on a vape pen! Dr. Rosenberg stated, “There are no two ways about it. When I visit WMMR I am saving lives and when I work with clients in my office, I am saving lives.”

Here are some facts about smoking:

• While adult cigarette smoking has dropped from its high of 42.6 percent in 1965 to 11.6 percent in 2022, tobacco use continues to be a major cause of cancer.
• Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in the US. It is responsible for over 500,000 deaths each year.
• Smoking causes about 19 percent of all cancers and about 30 percent of all cancer deaths in the United States.
• Tobacco is as addictive as heroin, cocaine and alcohol.
• Smoking causes many cancers besides lung cancer. It is a major cause of cancers of the mouth, larynx, pharynx, esophagus, kidney, bladder, pancreas, and cervix and recently it has been associated with colorectal cancer, myeloid leukemia, as well as cancers of the liver, stomach, and nasal sinuses.
• On average, smokers die 10 earlier than those who never smoke.

Here are some facts about vaping:

• While vaping looked like it could help with smoking cessation, research has shown that it doesn’t help in kicking the habit. It just replaces one habit with another. In addition:
• Vaping is not safe. Nicotine is a primary ingredient in vape pens. Nicotine increases blood pressure, spikes adrenaline, both of which increases heart rate and the likelihood of having a heart attack.
• Since vaping utilizes nicotine, it is as addictive as cigarette smoking.
• Teens are picking up the vaping habit in record numbers. In 2024 1.63 million teens are vaping.
• The nicotine in the vape pens is especially bad for teens since it harms parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control.
• In addition to the nicotine, there are metals such as nickel, tin and lead in vape pens and a flavoring known as Diacetyl, which is linked to bronchiolitis obliterans, also known as “popcorn lung”.

About Dr. Steven Rosenberg
Steven Rosenberg, Ph.D. is a psychotherapist and behavioral specialist practicing in Jenkintown, Pa. In a career spanning over 40 years, Dr. Rosenberg has helped tens of thousands of people quit smoking and lose weight through his effective programs. Using techniques such as mindfulness, affirmations and traditional therapy, Dr. Rosenberg assists clients with a variety of issues including stress, anxiety, work/life balance and sports performance.

Dr. Rosenberg has been the team psychotherapist for the Philadelphia Flyers, a consultant for the Perspective television series, and has helped many other professional and amateur athletes throughout the world. He is a trusted expert and resource for print, online, television and radio news outlets in Philadelphia, across the U.S. and around the world. For more information visit www.quititnow.com.

About the Great American Smokeout
Every year, on the third Thursday of November, smokers across the nation take part in the American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout. They may use the date to make a plan to quit, or plan in advance and then quit smoking that day. The Great American Smokeout event challenges people to stop using tobacco and helps people learn about the many tools they can use to help them quit for good.