FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 26, 2013

Contact: Communications Office
(850) 245-4111
or Naylet Aguayo
media@tobaccofreeflorida.com
(786) 256-0884

TALLAHASSEE—The new year is right around the corner and now is the time to make a plan to turn a resolution to quit tobacco into reality. The Florida Department of Health’s Tobacco Free Florida program is encouraging tobacco users across the state to create a personalized quit plan with help from the state’s free and easy resources.

Using one of Tobacco Free Florida’s 3 Ways to Quit, which include the Florida Quitline, Web Coach, and in-person classes through the Florida Area Health Education Center (AHEC) network, may double your chances of success. Since 2007, more than 93,400 Floridians have successfully quit using one of these free services. Studies show nearly two out of three adult smokers⁴ would like to take steps toward being tobacco free.

“If you live in Florida, free evidence-based programs to help you quit tobacco are right at your fingertips,” said Tobacco Free Florida Bureau Chief Shannon Hughes. “Cutting tobacco out of your life not only vastly improves your health, but also saves money.”

Tobacco Free Florida’s resources include consultation from a certified and trained Quit Coach, as well as free FDA-approved Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) like the patch and gum, when medically appropriate. This combined approach of counseling and NRT may double or triple a tobacco user’s chance of quitting.⁵

While quitting tobacco is difficult, it is not impossible. There are more former smokers in the state than there are current smokers.⁶ Those who have tried to quit but relapsed are encouraged to try again. Most former smokers make several attempts before quitting permanently. ^5,7 Having a comprehensive quit plan increases the chance of success.

Tobacco Free Florida offers 3 Free & Easy Ways to Quit:

• CALL: Call the Florida Quitline at 1-877-U-CAN-NOW to speak with a Quit Coach who will help assess a user’s addiction and help create a personalized quit plan.
• CLICK: Enroll in the Web Coach®, which will help to create a web-based quit plan unique to each individual user, visit https://www.quitnow.net/florida.
• COME IN: Visit AHEC’s website, http://ahectobacco.com, to locate a local AHEC and sign up for Quit Smoking Now group classes.

For more information, please visit tobaccofreeflorida.com.

ABOUT TOBACCO FREE FLORIDA
The Florida Department of Health’s (DOH) Tobacco Free Florida campaign is a statewide cessation and prevention campaign funded by Florida’s tobacco settlement fund.

Tobacco users interested in quitting are encouraged to use one of the state’s three ways to quit. To learn about Tobacco Free Florida and the state’s free quit resources, visit www.tobaccofreeflorida.com or follow the campaign on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TobaccoFreeFlorida or Twitter at www.twitter.com/tobaccofreefla.

DOH works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

¹ US Census Data adult population http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/12000.html

² 17.7 percent of all adult Floridians smoke: CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), 2012

³ 68.7 percent of smokers want to quit: CDC. Quitting smoking among adults—United States, 2001–2010. MMWR 2011;60:1513–9.

⁴ CDC. Quitting smoking among adults—United States, 2001–2010. MMWR 2011;60:1513–9.

⁵ Fiore MC, Jaen CR, Baker TB, et al. Treating tobacco use and dependence: 2008 update. Clinical practice guideline. Rockville, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service; 2008. Available at http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/tobacco/treating_tobacco_use08.pdf

⁶ CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), 2012

⁷ DiClemente CC. Addiction and change: how addictions develop and addicted people recover. New York: Guilford Press, 2003