Since its launch on May 14, 2004, the Montana Tobacco Quit Line has served over 115,000 Montanans and, of those, over 36,000 have successfully quit! To celebrate its 20th Anniversary, the Quit Line is getting a new logo and new name: Quit Now Montana.
Quit Now Montana is no longer a telephone-only service to help people quit smoking. It has changed with the times, and this rebrand reflects that change. Quit Now Montana still offers free quit coaching over the phone and now also offers coaching through online chat to all Montanans and text messaging for those under the age of 25, all while continuing to offer free nicotine replacement therapy (patches, gum or lozenges) and quit medications.
Just as the times have changed, so have the types of tobacco and nicotine products that are addicting new generations of Montanans. Quit Now Montana helps with quitting all forms of commercial tobacco use, including newer products like e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches.
While cigarette smoking among Montana adults has decreased from 20% in 2004 to 15% in 2022, tobacco use continues to be the leading cause of preventable death. Each year, 1,600 Montanans die from cigarette smoking. In Montana, an estimated 128,000 adults and 18,000 youth currently use tobacco. Additionally, use of tobacco products disproportionately affects vulnerable populations such as: youth, Medicaid recipients, American Indian adults, pregnant women, and those with behavioral health conditions.
Quit Now Montana provides specialized services to those more heavily burdened by commercial tobacco: My Life, My Quit for ages under 18, an incentivized Pregnancy Program, the American Indian Commercial Tobacco Quit Program, and a Behavioral Health Program. Visit QuitNowMontana.com to learn more about each of these tailored services.
“There is no safe level of exposure to commercial tobacco products,” says local tobacco education specialist Jacklyn Damm. “These products contain known harmful toxins which can lead to health complications and diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, cancers, and stroke. These products are also known to be incredibly addicting and quitting commercial tobacco products can be a challenge without support.”
About 70% of people who smoke report wanting to quit while 50% attempt to quit each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 4% of people who try to quit on their own succeed compared to 34% of people who successfully quit by accessing coaching and quit medications through Quit Now Montana.
Help celebrate the 20th Anniversary by quitting commercial tobacco and nicotine today!
Get started today by calling 1-800-QUIT NOW or visiting http://www.QuitNowMontana.com.
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