To the editor:

Following the news that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office on Smoking and Health has been shuttered, tobacco cessation services like the NYS Quitline and nysmokefree.com are more important than ever.

The CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health was responsible for highly-visible campaigns, including Tips From Former Smokers, which launched in 2012 and, according to the CDC, was responsible for 1 million Americans quitting within the first five years of the campaign. The CDC noted that the correlation between the campaign and calls to state quitlines was straightforward: when the public service announcements played, calls went up. The Office on Smoking and Health was simple and effective.

Fortunately, for New York residents looking to quit smoking, New York State still operates the NYS Quitline — 1-866-NY-QUITS — and provides tons of free resources at nysmokefree.com. These services include personalized “quit coaches” — certified tobacco treatment specialists who can guide smokers through their quit journeys — and provide free nicotine replacement therapy products and on-demand texting programs.

The North Country is also fortunate to have a strong tobacco cessation ecosystem, with regionwide initiatives like North Country Nicotine Consultants working to promote evidence-based resources to medical and behavioural health care providers. A collaboration of The Heart Network and Glens Falls Hospital, NCNC promotes proactive dialogue between providers and patients, as this can increase a person’s chances of quitting successfully by up to 30%.

Smokers who need support quitting can still find help at the local and state level. We encourage you to not go it alone and utilize the free resources available. If you need help getting started, reach out anytime: bcarnright@heartnetwork.org.

Sincerely,

Brielle Carnright, tobacco project coordinator, The Heart Network

Saranac Lake