This news item expired on Tuesday, December 10, 2019 so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
Time to Make Resolution Plan to Stop Smoking; QuitlineNC Can Help
RALEIGH – With New Year’s Day just around the corner, now is a good time for motivated smokers to make their plan to quit smoking and improve their health.
Quitting smoking isn’t easy. Choosing a tobacco cessation program to help you reach the goal greatly improves your chances for crossing that finish line. In North Carolina, the Department of Health and Human Services helps people stop smoking and other tobacco use through QuitlineNC.
“We help tobacco users develop a quit plan that works for them, with no judgment,” said Gerri Mattson, MD, medical director of QuitlineNC. “Quitting smoking at any age improves health immediately and over the long term.”
The Division of Public Health’s Tobacco Prevention and Control Branch operates QuitlineNC. The service has helped tens of thousands of North Carolinians quit smoking since 2005. Last year it helped 4,400 people successfully quit all use of tobacco products for six or more months.
The program’s success rate of 35 percent compares to a 5 percent national rate for those who try to do it without support. In a recent survey, 92 percent of respondents who used QuitlineNC said they would use the services again if they needed further help.
Quitline NC is available to the state’s estimated 1.4 million smokers, and anyone else who wants to quit tobacco use: call 1-800-Quit-Now (1-800-784-8669) anytime, 24/7, or visit www.quitlinenc.com. For coaching in Spanish, call 1-855-Déjelo-Ya (1-855-335-3569).
Callers may qualify for combination nicotine replacement medication at no cost to them based on medical criteria and health insurance. For example, people covered by Medicaid, Medicare or those who are uninsured may qualify for no-cost combination therapy.
QuitlineNC coaches have the knowledge and skills to help people quit cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, cigars, hookah, electronic cigarettes/vaping devices, or any combination of products.
Counseling and medications can double or even triple one’s chances of success. Pregnant women, those who recently had a baby or are planning a pregnancy are eligible for tailored treatment from QuitlineNC, as are young people under age 18.