Many smokers struggle with conflicting feelings about tobacco – they love it, and they hate it. Tobacco is their old friend and their worst enemy.
If you’re a tobacco user, there’s a good chance you’d like to quit and have tried before.
Quitline Iowa has a good track record on the kind of help that smokers need. Call 800-784-8669 or go to the Quitline Iowa website. From there you can ask questions live online, enroll in the free program, watch short videos and connect with a free personal coach.
You can access nicotine quit medications through Quitline Iowa. Quitline also helps those addicted to nicotine in chewing tobacco.
Here are the proven steps (they’ve helped 1.5 million people quit tobacco):
1. Choose the way you want to use Quitline: phone and online, phone only, or online only.
2. Develop your quit plan.
3. Decide if you want to use quit medications.
4. Follow your plan.
5. If you choose to have a coach, check in with them.
Although Quitline is free, if you decide to use quit medications, there may be a cost. Some insurances pay for these medications. Insurance providers know that paying to help you quit is cheaper than paying for poor health from continued use of tobacco.
Ann Cochran is the health navigation coordinator in the Dallas County Public Health Department.
