“Addiction to nicotine is shown to be similar to heroin and cocaine,” said Richard Farmer, Quit Smart facilitator and respiratory therapist at Lenoir Memorial Hospital.
That’s why it may take more than willpower to quit smoking.
But help is available.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services is offering free nicotine replacement therapy, which includes patches, gum or lozenges, at no cost to people who enroll in “quit coaching” and want to quit smoking for good.
The free products, as well as counseling, are available by phone or online through QuitlineNC until supplies run out.
“Tobacco use causes serious diseases that shorten life,” stated DHHS Secretary Aldona Wos, M.D. “We want to support the efforts of smokers and other tobacco users who choose to take responsibility for their own health by quitting.”
The Tobacco Prevention and Control Grant received $100,000 from the Office of Rural Health and the General Assembly kicked in $600,000 to make the QuitlineNC program successful. Funds are expected to last through June, but could be used up sooner depending on demand, Julie Henry, DHHS spokeswoman, said.
“The sooner you sign up,” she said, “the sooner you’re on the path to quit.”
North Carolina tobacco users can receive a limited supply of free nicotine replacement therapy after they enroll with QuitlineNC for a four-call program. Each enrollee will develop a personalized quit plan with a quit coach. The supply of medication available to each individual varies, depending on insurance coverage.
Health officials say the combination of QuitlineNC support and medication is a proven way to increase the odds that tobacco users will quit for a lifetime.
QuitlineNC has provided North Carolina tobacco users with quit coaching since 2005. More than 23,000 people used the service during 2012.
For smokers who would like additional help, LMH’s Quit Smart program is available at the Minges Wellness Center. The program was started by Dr. Robert Shipley of the Duke Medical Center Stop Smoking Clinic in 1977.
“This program is not about getting people to stop for a couple of weeks,” Farmer said. “This is a program giving each individual the tools they need to remain a nonsmoker for the rest of their life.”
With Quit Smart, smokers gradually reduce their nicotine intake, he said. The program was initiated at LMH in 1997. It has a 55 percent or better success rate.
But Farmer said there are only two rates, zero or 100 percent, and that depends on the individual. The chances of success are better in a classroom situation with other smokers, he said.
The next workshop is 6:30 p.m. on May 7, 21 and 23. To register, call 252-522-7014.
To sign up for free over-the-counter smoking cessation products and coaching support, call QuitlineNC at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) anytime, or visit quitlinenc.com. QuitlineNC telephone service is offered in English and Spanish, with translation services available for other languages.
Margaret Fisher can be reached at 252-559-1082 or Margaret.Fisher@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @MargaretFishr.
Smoking facts I
- In Lenoir County, 18 percent of adults reported smoking at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime, and are currently smoking
- In Greene County, 13 percent of adults report smoking at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime, and are currently smoking
- There are no results for Jones County. Statewide is 21 percent.
Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
Smoking facts II
- Within 10 years after a smoker stops smoking, cancer risk is decreased by 50-70 percent, compared to those who continue to smoke.
- Coronary heart disease risk is reduced by half in a year by not smoking
- Of all the diagnosed lung cancers, 79 percent are smokers
Source: Stop Smoking Guide by Dr. Robert Shipley, Duke Medical Center
Stop smoking now!
- To sign up for free over-the-counter smoking cessation products and support, call QuitlineNC at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) anytime, or visit quitlinenc.com.
- To register for Lenoir Memorial Hospital’s Quit Smart program, call 252-522-7014