Montana Tobacco Quit Line Boasts High Success Rate

May 29, 2007 -- The Montana Tobacco Quit Line, a program of the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), marked its third anniversary in May while boasting one of the highest quit rates in the nation.

Thirty percent of the more than 17,500 people who have called the Quit Line report successfully quitting, according to Linda Lee, supervisor of the Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program (MTUPP) of DPHHS.

“That’s more than 5,000 people who have reduced their chances of becoming ill or dying from tobacco-related causes,” she noted.

Each year, tobacco addiction in Montana claims 1,500 lives, Lee said. For every person who dies a tobacco-related death, 20 more suffer with at least one tobacco-related illness.

The Quit Line reached more than 7,500 Montanans during its third year of operation, a dramatic increase over each of the first two years. The number of spit tobacco users who call also is increasing, Lee said.

“We are thrilled to see such positive results,” she added. “Lives are being saved as the Quit Line numbers climb.”

According to Stacy Campbell, a tobacco cessation specialist with MTUPP, most of the people who call the Quit Line have used tobacco for more than 10 years.

“Thanks to the free nicotine replacement therapy and personalized guidance from quit specialists, former smokers and spit tobacco users are now enjoying better health and reduced risk of deadly diseases,” she said.

The Montana Tobacco Quit Line is the only service of its kind in the nation that offers three options for nicotine replacement therapy: gum, patches, and lozenges. These therapies are free, which appealed to Michael Foth, of Billings. Foth announced his intention to quit smoking about six weeks ago, on a morning radio show he hosts.

“These past few months, (quitting) had been on my mind more and more,” Foth said. “Then, during a checkup for a sinus infection, my doctor gave me a Montana Tobacco Quit Line pamphlet and urged me to call the number. A couple weeks later I called the number and picked a quit date, the day after my birthday. That was over six weeks ago, and I’m still tobacco-free.

“The professionals on the other end of the Quit Line were sincere and genuinely seemed to care,” he added. “They asked questions and informed me how the program works and what to expect. I chose to order the free gum and was surprised when it showed up at my office in four days!”

The benefits of quitting smoking are both immediate and long-term. People who quit tobacco decrease their chance of heart attack after one day, and lung function increases after just two weeks, according to Lee. After five years, a quitter’s risk of stroke is reduced to the same level as that of a non-tobacco user.

“I really do feel better,” Foth said. “It seems like I have more energy. My fingers, breath, clothes, and car no longer smell like smoke. I’ve saved probably around $120 a month. The kids are proud of me. I’m proud of me.”

The Montana Tobacco Quit Line can provide individualized quit plans and free nicotine replacement therapy to all Montana residents who want to quit. If you or someone you know is thinking about quitting, call toll-free 866-485-QUIT (7848) or visit http://tobaccofree.mt.gov/.

Source: Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services