From now until May 31, all new callers 18 and over can get a two-week supply of nicotine replacement therapy when they call the Michigan Tobacco Quitline (1-800-784-8669 or 1-800-QUIT-NOW).
Ready to quit tobacco or e-cigarettes? Help is available.
The Michigan Tobacco Quitline (1-800-784-8669 or 1-800-QUIT-NOW) can help youth or adults who are smoking or using e-cigarettes. People of any age can get free telephone counseling, text messaging support, and online resources.
From now until May 31, all new callers 18 and over can also get a two week supply of nicotine replacement therapy.
“E-cigarette use, also known as vaping, has increased in recent years, especially among young people,” says Jessie Kimbrough Marshall, MD, MPH, medical director at Washtenaw County Health Department. “Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine and other harmful chemicals and should not be considered a safe alternative to traditional smoking. Setting a quit date and calling the Quitline for support are great first steps.”
According to the 2015-2016 Michigan Profile for Healthy Youth, four percent of Washtenaw County high school students reported smoking cigarettes during the past 30 days. Eleven percent used electronic vapor products in the past 30 days.
In the U.S., more than two million middle and high school students reported using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2016). Long-term health effects are not well known yet, but we do know:
- Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which has known health effects. Nicotine can harm adolescent brain development.
- E-cigarettes often look like everyday products, like pens or USB sticks, and their use in schools or other community settings is a growing concern.
- The e-cigarette aerosol that users breathe from the device and exhale can also contain potentially harmful substances, including cancer-causing chemicals and tiny particles that reach deep into the lungs.
- E-cigarettes can cause unintended injuries when defective batteries catch fire and explode.
Additional information on e-cigarettes can be found on the CDC’s website.
The Michigan Tobacco Quitline Resources
The Washtenaw County Health Department is working with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to connect current smokers to quitting support and resources. For those young people who have already begun to use tobacco products and want to quit, the Michigan Tobacco Quitline provides services for youth of any age. Young people can call the Quitline at 1-800-784-8669 or 1-800- QUIT-NOW and receive free telephone counseling to help them quit tobacco or e-cigarettes. In addition, the Quitline offers a free text messaging program and a self-guided online quit program. Support is available 24/7 and in multiple languages.
“Because 90 percent of smokers start as teens or even younger, stopping or never starting at a young age is important,” says Kimberly Collom, MS, health educator with the Washtenaw County Health Department. “We can provide Quitline materials and training to community organizations, leaders, and health care providers so people know where they can get support to quit when they are ready.”
The Smokefree Teen website also provides quit tools.