Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline Dramatically Increases Odds of Quitting
Free Coaching by Phone and Free Patches or Gum Help Oklahomans Quit for Good
OKLAHOMA CITY (December 30, 2008) - The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) is ready to see that Oklahomans who have resolved to quit tobacco for the New Year have the best chance for success. The Helpline is offering free telephone quit coaching along with a free two-week starter kit of nicotine patches or gum.
The Helpline is funded by the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET), the Oklahoma State Department of Health and the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Since it began in 2003, the Helpline has served more than 75,000 Oklahomans. Follow-up with Oklahomans who use the Helpline show that over 30 percent of callers succeed in quitting, compared to only five percent for those who go “cold turkey.”
“As with any life-changing New Year’s resolution, it helps to have a plan and have people around you that support your decision,” said Tracey Strader, TSET executive director. “Through the Helpline’s program, callers work with a Quit Coach® to create a quit plan that includes setting a quit date, getting support from friends and family, and identifying strategies to cope with cravings to stay quit for good.”
In addition to the Helpline, Oklahomans also have access to a free online only program, www.BecomeAnEx.org. The www.BecomeAnEx.org Web site features information, action-oriented tools, and a virtual community where participants can share their experience and gain support from others. Since April 2008, more than 1,500 Oklahomans have joined the www.BecomeAnEx.org Web site to help them quit cigarettes.
“Breaking free from nicotine addiction isn’t easy,” said Strader, “but Oklahomans have access to some of the best programs available to increase their chances for a successful quit - and it’s free.”
Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline Dramatically Increases Odds of Quitting
The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline's hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week, and staff will return any messages left after hours. For more information about the Helpline, go to: www.ok.gov/tset/Programs/Helpline.html. For more information about quitting tobacco use go to: www.smokefree.gov.
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The Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust was established through a constitutional amendment approved by Oklahoma voters in 2000. While most state governments have failed to keep their promise to use tobacco settlement funds for tobacco prevention and other programs to improve health, Oklahomans have created an endowment to assure that funds will be available for these purposes for generations to come. To learn more go to: www.tset.ok.gov.
Make a Plan to Quit Your Nicotine Addiction - for FREE
Call the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW to work with a Quit Coach on the best quit plan for you. The call is free, the coaching is free and right now registered callers can receive a free 2-week Starter Kit of nicotine patches or gum.
Five Day Countdown
Start by making your home and vehicle a tobacco free zone. 5 Days Before Your Quit Date Think about your reasons for quitting. Write them down. Tell your friends and family you are planning to quit. Stop buying cigarettes 4 Days Before Your Quit Date Pay attention to when and why you smoke. Think of other things to hold in your hand instead of a cigarette Think of habits or routines to change. 3 Days Before Your Quit Date What will you do with the extra money when you stop buying cigarettes? Make a list. Think about who you can contact when you need help. 2 Days Before Your Quit Date Buy the nicotine patch or nicotine gum Or visit your doctor to get the nicotine inhaler, nasal spray, or the non-nicotine pill (Continued) 1 Day Before Your Quit Date Put away lighters and ashtrays. Destroy all cigarettes and matches. Clean your clothes to get rid of the smell of cigarette smoke Quit Day Keep very busy. Remind family and friends that this is your quit day. Stay away from alcohol. Give yourself a treat or do something special Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Save Money
The average price for a pack of cigarettes is approximately $4. At a pack a day, that adds up to about $1500 a year. Over ten years, that’s $15,000. Save Time On average it takes 7 minutes to smoke a cigarette. At a pack a day, that’s just over 2 hours and 20 minutes. Over ten years, that’s 354 days, or almost one entire year spent smoking. Feel Better (Source: American Lung Association) Within 20 minutes of quitting: Blood pressure decreases and pulse rate drops Within 8 hours of quitting: Oxygen level in blood returns to normal Within 24 hours of quitting: Chance of a heart attack decreases Within 48 hours of quitting: Ability to smell and taste is enhanced Within 3 months of quitting: Circulation and lung function improve Within 9 months of quitting: Coughing, sinus congestion, wheezing, fatigue and shortness of breathe decrease Within 1 year of quitting: Risk of coronary heart disease is lowered to half of that of a smoker.
