oklahoma tobacco helpline
A few months ago, you may have read in the Herland Voice that there are higher rates of smoking among lesbians and gay men. You may have also read that the tobacco industry actively targets the LGBT community through direct advertising and corporate sponsorship. If you smoke, you may have wondered about the kinds of resources there are to help you quit. One of the best ones available is the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline.
The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline is a FREE service available to all Oklahomans who want to quit using tobacco. People calling the Helpline receive free one-on-one coaching sessions with a professional Quit Coach® who has helped hundreds of people quit. A Quit Coach helps callers develop a quit plan tailored to their personal needs and then offers critical support in sticking with that plan.
For a limited time, Oklahoma residents who call the Helpline for coaching will also receive a free two-week starter kit of nicotine patches or gum mailed directly to their homes. Callers who do not have health insurance or who have Medicare or Indian Health Services can receive an 8-week supply of nicotine patches or gum for free. If callers have Medicaid or SoonerCare, the Quit Coach will provide information about accessing treatment options through SoonerCare.
Quick Facts
The Helpline is open 7 days a week from 7am to 11pm.
If you call the Helpline after normal business hours, you can leave a message and someone will return your call within the next day. People can call for encouragement anytime the Helpline is open.
The Helpline services are available in English and Spanish.
For English, the number is 1-800-784-8669. For Spanish, the number is 1-800-793-1552.
You must be 18 or older to use this service. People under 18 can call and receive written materials, which are mailed to their home.
In addition to free coaching sessions over the phone, participants can access a 24-hour-a-day interactive website. This site allows people to complete self-assessment exercises and interact with other people trying to quit as well as Quit Coaches. You can receive the website address and a password when you call 1-800-QUIT NOW.
Quitting smoking doesn’t happen overnight, especially when you may feel overwhelmed by tobacco ads and free cigarettes in bars and clubs. Indeed, people often say that after finally making the decision to quit, they are sidetracked by the packs of cigarettes freely distributed in bars. Tobacco companies pour money and time into getting people to smoke because they want to replace those who die every day from using their product. But counseling and nicotine patches or gum are available through the Helpline, and this combination of cessation medications and coaching more than doubles the chances of a successful quit attempt.
If you would like more information about the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline or how we can work together to change the way the tobacco industry targets the LGBT community, contact the Central Oklahoma Turning Point Tobacco Use Prevention Coalition at 405-419-4247 or Carolyn_Durbin@occhd.org.
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