March 1, 2007 Berlin, Vt – The Vermont Department of Health, in collaboration with the Ready, Set…STOP hospital-based quit smoking programs and Vermont’s healthcare insurers, is making it easier for Vermonters to quit smoking by offering FREE nicotine replacement products – patches, gum or lozenges – and shipping them directly to homes statewide.
Vermonters who sign up for free quit coaching with Central Vermont Medical Center Ready, Set…STOP Program, or call the Vermont Quit Line, can now get home delivery of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products. The NRT products are provided free of charge, including shipping. Quit coaching services like the hospital programs and the Vermont Quit Line, combined with the use of NRT, can double the chances of success.
About one in five Vermont adults smokes cigarettes, which represents approximately 94,000 adult smokers and results in an estimated 800 deaths from smoking-related diseases (including heart disease and cancer) every year. The good news is that Vermont smokers are trying to quit. In fact nearly half of them have made at least one serious quit attempt in the last year.
“Quitting smoking is one of the healthiest lifestyle changes a person can make, but it is also one of the most difficult,” said Health Commissioner Sharon Moffatt, RN, MSN. “By offering free NRT products shipped directly to homes, as part of our proven quit coaching programs, our goal is to enable as many Vermonters as possible to conquer their nicotine addiction and quit smoking for good.”
The Ready, Set…STOP Program at Central Vermont Medical Center offers group or individual coaching at the hospital, and in convenient locations in the community. Their Ready, Set…STOP coaches help smokers get ready to quit and guide them through the quitting process.
“Just because people try to quit smoking and fail the first few times, doesn’t mean they can’t quit. It takes most people five to seven tries before successfully quitting,” said Gigi, Ready, Set…STOP quit coach at Central Vermont Medical Center. “We encourage people to see their quit attempts as part of the normal journey toward becoming a non-smoker and we hope free NRT products will make that journey a little easier.”
“These medications decrease the urge to smoke and double a smoker’s chance of quitting. The best results come from a combination of medications and coaching support,” said Dr. John Hughes, professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont. “I encourage smokers to call the Quit Line or enroll in Ready, Set…STOP before they quit so the coaches can help them get ready for their quit date, including free medications like nicotine patches, gum and lozenges.”
Vermonters resolving to quit smoking in 2007 and those looking for more information on the free NRT home delivery can call the Ready, Set…STOP Program at 371-5945 or call the Vermont Quit Line toll-free at 1-877-YES-QUIT (1-877-937-7848). Additional information on Vermont’s quit smoking services can also be found at www.TobaccoStories.org.
Vermont’s comprehensive tobacco control efforts are funded entirely from yearly Master Settlement Agreement payments and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grants |
