Connecticut State Department of Public Health

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE            Connecticut Department of Public Health

December 30, 2009                                  William Gerrish

                                                                 (860) 509-7270

 

 

Hartford — Tobacco users are encouraged to ring in the New Year by calling the Connecticut QuitLine for free help at 1-800-QUIT-NOW or contact one of the local quitting programs listed on the Department of Public Health website. Quitting tobacco is one of the most common New Year’s resolutions.

 

“The Connecticut QuitLine is a free service that provides resources and support to those who want to lead a tobacco-free lifestyle,” stated Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. J. Robert Galvin. “The start to a healthier lifestyle can be as simple as a phone call away.”

 

The QuitLine offers free information and cessation support for all Connecticut residents who want to quit tobacco. The Connecticut QuitLine is open seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Getting help is easy by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW. By calling the CT QuitLine for help, a professionally trained Quit Coach can:

 

  • Prepare participants for their quit date
  • Help them design an individualized quit plan
  • Provide tips on smoke-proofing their living environment
  • Offer techniques on handling social situations that may involve tobacco
  • Assist participants with seeking support from friends and families
  • Provide information regarding medication options to help with withdrawal symptoms

Many Quit Coaches are former smokers themselves.

 

People who want to quit tobacco can also access information at BECOMEANEX.ORG, a website designed for those who want to quit that is sponsored by the National Alliance for Tobacco Cessation, of which Connecticut is a member.

 

Tobacco users seeking group or individual counseling in person, can contact one of the listed programs on the Department of Public Health’s Tobacco Program’s website at www.ct.gov/dph/tobacco. Many of the programs are free or low cost to the participant. 

 

Newly contracted local programs providing services free of charge include AIDS Project New Haven, Birmingham Group Health Services, Inc., Bridges, Communicare, Inc., Fair Haven Health Center, Fellowship Place, Generations Family Health Center, Harbor Health Services, Hartford Behavioral Health, Hartford Gay and Lesbian Health Collective, Hospital of Saint Raphael, and Ledge Light Health District.

 

More than 430,000 adults in Connecticut are cigarette smokers, and every year in Connecticut, more than 4,700 people die from smoking-related diseases. For more information on Connecticut tobacco use prevention initiatives, legislation and statistics, visit the Connecticut Department of Public Health’s website at http://www.ct.gov/dph.

 

The Connecticut Department of Public Health is the state’s leader in public health policy and advocacy with a mission to protect and promote the health and safety of the people of our state.  To contact the department, please visit its website at www.ct.gov/dph or call (860) 509-7270.

 

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