Get free support to quit smoking, vaping or chewing tobacco
By Alaska Department of Health on Comments Off on Get free support to quit smoking, vaping or chewing tobacco
Great American Smokeout is Nov. 20
Do you smoke, vape or chew tobacco? Do you want to cut back or quit?
If you’re ready for a win, join people across the country and ditch tobacco for the day on Thursday, Nov. 20, in celebration of American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout. It’s just one day, but it could be your day one of quitting for good.
You don’t have to go it alone. Between now and November 20th, reach out to Alaska’s Tobacco Quit Line for free, confidential help. The Quit Line continues to help thousands of Alaskans to quit all types of tobacco and nicotine products, including e-cigarettes. There are coaches ready to talk with you 24/7 with personalized coaching and nicotine replacement therapy like patches, lozenges and gum to help you get through cravings. This month, the first 250 Alaskans who enroll in the Quit Line will also receive a $20 gift card to Subwayin the mail.
Craig, from Ketchikan, used Alaska’s Tobacco Quit Line to quit smoking.
“I was tired of tobacco, tired of being stuck with that addiction,” said Craig, featured in a Quit Line public service announcement. He wanted to break the cycle of tobacco use in his family and protect his kids from the dangers of secondhand smoke.
“It’s awesome being a dad,” Craig said. “It makes me appreciate quitting smoking a lot more. So I get to be around longer.”
Most Alaskans who smoke want to quit. Many have tried before. That’s normal. It can take a few tries before it sticks. You are more likely to quit for good when you make a plan and have support from coaches, those around you, and therapies and medications that make it easier to quit.
Quit to feel better now and later
Quitting tobacco is one of the best things you can do for your health. No matter how long you’ve used tobacco, there are immediate health benefits when you quit. Within 20 minutes your heart rate and blood pressure drop, and over the next few weeks your circulation and lung function improve. Over time, quitting tobacco reduces your chances of cancer, heart disease, stroke, and lung disease. Quitting also protects those closest to you from secondhand smoke and can set a positive example for your family, friends and community.
If you’re ready to quit, here are some tips to help you plan for the Great American Smokeout – or whatever day you choose to stop:
Set a quit date.
Write down your reasons for quitting tobacco. Maybe that’s being there for family, saving money, improving your health, or something else.
Remove tobacco products from your home, car and workplace.
Plan for getting through cravings. The free Quit Line can help with that.
Ask friends or family for support.
Quit on your quit day.
Celebrate.
Dusty from Wasilla used Alaska’s Tobacco Quit Line to stop chewing tobacco, a habit he had for about 30 years. He said his children were proud of him when he quit.
“You did a really good job. We’re so proud of you,” Dusty remembers his kids telling him.
“When your kids tell you that, it hits home.”
Call, text or go online to enroll
Alaska’s Tobacco Quit Line is ready to help over the phone or online when you’re ready to quit.
The Great American Smokeout on Nov. 20 could be your day one to quit. Taking that first step of reaching out to the Quit Line for help might feel uncomfortable or scary, but it’s worth taking a chance.
“I had this anxiety about calling like it was this huge thing, but it really isn’t,” Craig said. “I would recommend calling the Quit Line. I think it was a really useful tool and ultimately is what helped me quit smoking.”
Do you smoke, vape or chew tobacco? Do you want to cut back or quit?
