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LANSING, Mich.
– Thinking about quitting tobacco? The Michigan Department of Health and Human
Services (MDHHS) is expanding its telephone coaching and nicotine replacement
therapy (NRT) program to all Michigan residents through May 31.
During this
time, the Michigan Tobacco Quitline will offer a free, two-week supply of
nicotine gum, patches or lozenges for all new enrollees who want to quit
smoking or chewing tobacco. Tobacco users who would like to quit may call the
Quitline phone number at 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669). Enrollment is available
24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Quitline
serves all ages, however, callers seeking NRT must be over 18 and meet basic
health requirements. Enrollees will receive a coach who will assist them in
setting a quit date, choosing a nicotine replacement product that is right for
them and making an individualized quit plan. The coach will provide support
with up to four telephone coaching sessions scheduled around the caller's quit
date.
"Callers
using NRT along with coaching, such as through a telephone-based service like
800-QUIT-NOW, can increase their chances of becoming smoke-free by five times
the rate of someone quitting cold turkey," said Dr. Eden Wells, MDHHS
chief medical executive. “Providing access to free NRT during this promotion
might just be the jump start someone needs to quitting smoking tobacco for
good.”
The Michigan
Tobacco Quitline is an evidence-based service providing free telephone coaching
for the uninsured, pregnant women, residents enrolled in Medicaid and Medicare,
veterans, cancer patients and American Indians. More than 100,000 calls have
been received since the service was launched in October 2003.
The Quitline
offers English, Arabic and Spanish-speaking counselors, as well as interpretive
services for a wide variety of languages. For more information about the
Quitline, call 800-QUIT-NOW or visit Michigan.gov/tobacco.
CONTACT: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112, SutfinL1@michigan.gov
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