Free medications available to help Nevada smokers quit
Submitted by editor on Mon, 06/20/2016 - 12:25pm
Smokers in Nevada can get free medications gum, patches and lozenges from the Tobacco Prevention and Control Program of the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health between June 20 through July 1 or while supplies last.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Tips From Former Smokers national tobacco education campaign will encourage smokers to call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669) for free help getting medication and quit assistance. In order to take advantage of the free offer, which will run June 20 – July 1, tobacco users must enroll in the Nevada Tobacco Quitline with a trained coach and be medically eligible to receive the free medication.
“We want all tobacco users to know that although quitting is hard, they can do it,” said Jennifer Bonk, Chronic Disease Program Manager. “Smokers often try to quit several times before succeeding, but proven treatments and services are available that can improve your chances of quitting for good. We encourage all Nevada smokers to try to quit, and if they want free help, to take advantage of this opportunity.”
People who smoke cigarettes can and do quit. In fact, today there are more former smokers than current smokers in the United States. Surveys show that over 70 percent of all cigarette smokers want to quit, and research shows quitting completely at any age has health benefits.
Stopping smoking:
— Lowers your risk for lung cancer and many other types of cancer.
— Reduces your risk for heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease (narrowing of the blood vessels outside your heart).
— Reduces respiratory symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
— Reduces risk of developing lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
— Reduces risk for infertility in women of childbearing age. Women who stop smoking during pregnancy also reduce their risk of having a low birth weight baby.
Counseling, including Quitline coaching, and nicotine replacement therapy, including gum, patches and lozenges, are both effective in helping smokers quit. Using counseling and medication together is more effective than using either one alone. Medications can help smokers quit by decreasing urges to smoke and other withdrawal symptoms while quitting.
The most recent data shows that approximately 16 percent of Nevada adults smoke cigarettes. Smoking is the leading preventable cause of disease and death in the United States. Smoking kills 480,000 Americans each year, and 16 million Americans live with at least one smoking-related disease.
Additional information on quitting is available at https://nevada.quitlogix.org or cdc.gov/tips.
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