Health officials offering cessation resources for smokers

As of Friday, March 8, 2013
© Copyright 2013 Albany Herald

ALBANY, Ga. — The Georgia Department of Public Health is furthering its efforts to help Georgians stop using tobacco products with grant money from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to offer a four-week supply of free nicotine replacement therapy to all tobacco users aged 18 and older who receive counseling through the Georgia Tobacco Quit Line.

The Cancer Coalition of South Georgia and the Southwest Public Health District have teamed up to get the word out about the availability of these resources to kick a habit officials say costs Georgians $1.8 billion annually in direct health care costs.

Individualized counseling and free therapy, including both patches and gum, are available. Georgians who use tobacco, regardless of health insurance status, and are ready to stop can call the quit line at 1-877-270-STOP (7867) for the free therapies. It provides free, confidential and professional tobacco cessation telephone and web-based counseling to all Georgia tobacco users ages 13 and older, including pregnant and postpartum women.

The line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Additional tobacco resources are available at www.livehealthygeorgia.org/peoplesmokefree.shtml.

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Cancer Coalition eyes teen tobacco use ( March 23, 2013 )

rightasrain 2 months, 2 weeks ago

Why don't politicians and these "do-gooders" go after the alcohol industry? Alcohol is a major contributor to more deaths and health care concerns than tobacco. There's even "second-hand" consequences to consuming alcohol (DUI, Vehicular Homicide/Manslaughter, Domestic violence, etc.. Wait...stupid me...the majority of these politicians and "do-gooders" drink!

southwestga 2 months, 2 weeks ago

Sorry, tobacco causes far more deaths than alcohol. Not defending it, but we should deal with facts.

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