Free Assistance Offered to Smokers Who Want to Quit

A recent study shows the rate of Americans who smoke has fallen to about 14 percent, nationally.  In Washoe County, that number sits at about 10 percent of adults. While those numbers are an improvement, the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health is looking to lower them, even more.

The Nevada Tobacco Quitline is a free and convenient way to help smokers who want to quit--do just that. 

Jennifer Bonk, Chronic Disease Section Manager for the ‎Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health explains, "When somebody calls the Quitline, they are connected with a coach and they have specialized coaches for certain conditions, like a pregnant women would receive special counseling, because she's pregnant."

In addition to those counseling sessions, the program also offers free nicotine replacement therapy medications to curb the urge. That includes gum, lozenges and inhalants.

Anywhere from 100 to 300 clients enroll in the program each month. It has helped people like Chris Bartoni Rojas, who has been smoking for more than a decade. He managed to quit once for about 9 months, but hanging around other smokers, he went back. 

The situation with his friend and coworker, Katie Charleson, is similar. Charleson has been smoking for almost 20 years. She managed to quit, too--but only temporarily. Charleson notes high cost of medications as a deterrent, "I did the [nicotine] patches, but it was really hard to afford, I'm a single mom."

However, for the last six weeks, neither Bartoni Rojas or Charleson have touched a single cigarette. They have both enrolled in Quitline, which provides five free phone counseling sessions over a period of three months.

Charleson says, "I feel a lot healthier. I have a 7-year-old, so I feel like a lot better influence."

Although it may seem impossible, Bonk adds, "Usually [takes] 7-10 attempts to quit smoking before you're successful, but when you do try to quit smoking, you have about 1 in 4 chance of being successful." Charleson says, don't give up, "Just keep trying is the biggest thing, it's so worth it." 

Anybody over the age of 13 is eligible for the program, although the nicotine replacements are only available to those over the age of 18, while supplies last. 

The approximately $280,000 program is funded through the state and the CDC. 

If you'd like more information, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit their website, here.