There are more avenues people can take today to quit smoking.
Some employers offer benefits for quitting, insurance companies give discounts to non-smokers and doctors are constantly trying to find a way to wean their patience off of tobacco.
One method becoming more popular is free one-on-one counseling provided by the state.
Matthew Schrock, cessation coordinator for Kansas Department of Health and Environment, was at Allen County Hospital Monday presenting information on the Kansas Tobacco Quitline (KanQuit), a source people can use to help them quit smoking.
People have to go through a registration process and then will be given five sessions spread out over a four- to six-week period, Schrock said.
Pregnant women get 10 sessions.
The program is free and in addition to the telephone counseling sessions, people become life members of the free website where people can live chat with others who are trying to quit smoking or gives tips as to what to change in a person’s day-to-day life to make tapering out tobacco from their lives an easier process.
“An average caller has tried quitting eight to 10 times before calling the Quitline,” Schrock said.
Quitting cold turkey only has about a 5 percent success rate and with counseling alone there is about a 30 percent success rate. If people tried quitting with the help of medicine, the patch or gum then they would see an even higher success rate, Schrock said.
“Quitting smoking will be the most difficult thing a person will ever do,” Schrock said. “Especially if they have been doing it for 20 or 30 years.”
Ninety-five percent of the callers are cigarette smokers, but smokeless tobacco has health risks such as higher chances of getting mouth and throat cancer.
Counselors will work with the person by suggesting small tips they can do to take the temptations out of their lives.
“Taking out all ash trays from the house or changing who you go on break with has helped previous callers” kick the dangerous habit, Schrock said.
The telephone sessions last between 25 to 30 minutes. Once the five sessions are up, a counselor will follow up with the person after seven months to see how their process is going.
For more information or to get registered visit the KanQuit website at www.kanquit.org or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (784-8669).
