Ermanni: If you've wanted to quit smoking, now is the time

Quitting smoking isn't easy but now Michigan is offering some free help for people who are ready to get serious about it. 

Ryan Ermanni has his own success story and shares how you can do it, too. 

This back ramp used to be a popular spot for me, before shows, commercial breaks, I would be out here. But not so much anymore.

After 21 years of smoking, I quit. I've got 314 days without a cigarette and if you ever wanted to quit, now is the time to do it. 

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is offering free Nicotine patches, gum and lozenges, now through September 30th. That is eight weeks' worth available to Michigan residents. >>CLICK HERE for more information.

Just call 1-800-QUIT-NOW to enroll 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

In my case, I used a prescribed medication called Chantix. I used it for 35 days and it does have some serious side effects so it may not be for everyone but what helped me quit more than anything was my mind. I made it up that I was done smoking. 

Chantix is not a magic pill, it aided in my decision that I was done smoking. 

I also used a free app called Smokefree. It tracks the health benefits to me, how many cigarettes I have not smoked, and shows me how much money I have saved since quitting based on 15 cigarettes a day at $7.41 a pack. 

According to the CDC, smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States. It kills 480,000 Americans each year, and for every person who dies from a smoking related disease, at least 30 more people suffer at least one serious illness from smoking. 

Sixty-eight percent of all smokers say they want to quit. If you are one of those people, pick up the phone and call 1-800-QUIT-NOW. 

If I can do it, you can do it. It's all free.