Colorado QuitLine Offers Tobacco Users Hundreds Of Dollars In Valuable Service And Product To Quit For The New Year

Main Category: Smoking / Quit Smoking
Also Included In: Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs;  Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 03 Jan 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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As the new year approaches, thousands of tobacco users have "quit" on their New Year's resolution list. But studies show that those who want to quit find it more difficult in times of stress, such as the current economic downturn. The Colorado QuitLine provides tobacco users with a free telephone coaching service and a free supply of the nicotine patch - valued at approximately $300.

Financial stress can be a key smoking trigger. According to a study sponsored by the American Legacy Foundation, 77 percent of current smokers report increased stress levels due to the current state of the economy, and two-thirds of those smokers say this stress has had an effect on their smoking.

"With the uncertainty of the economic landscape and concerns about job security, tobacco users need comprehensive resources that tackle their tobacco addiction," said Deb Montgomery Osborne, State Tobacco Education & Prevention Partnership's director of tobacco cessation initiatives. "The Colorado QuitLine gives people a valuable service that has been proven to work."

Quitting also can save the average Colorado smoker $1,800 per year. This assistance, along with tapping into Colorado QuitLine's free customized coaching sessions and free supply of the patch, can add up to worthwhile savings. Dr. David Tinkelman, vice president of health initiatives at National Jewish Health, said, "It's important for people to see the economic value in what they're doing, but it's just as important for people to understand that they'll experience immediate health benefits as well. Smokers' immune systems will improve immediately, and this means they'll have the ability to breathe easier and fight colds - particularly during the winter season when germs spread more easily."

Other immediate health benefits of quitting include increased energy, improved circulation, decreased blood pressure and heart rate, and improved senses of taste and smell. The long-term benefits include decreasing the risk of chronic diseases and increasing the life span by 5 to 12 years.

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States. About 4,300 Coloradans die every year from tobacco-related illnesses. Smoking leads to severe health problems - including cancer, heart disease and strokes. Additionally, research shows that secondhand smoke is a known cause of lung cancer, heart disease and chronic lung ailments, such as bronchitis and asthma. Annual Colorado health-care costs directly caused by tobacco use exceed $1.3 billion.

Those who want to quit or those who are thinking about quitting can seek help and support from the Colorado QuitLine - a free telephone coaching service for quitting tobacco that offers a free supply of the patch. To contact the QuitLine, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or visit http://www.coquitline.org for Web-based cessation tools. The Colorado QuitLine is operated by National Jewish Health under contract to the State Tobacco Education & Prevention Partnership at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. QuitLine coaches are available Mondays through Fridays, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.