CELEBRATE A TOBACCO-FREE LIFE THIS MOTHER’S DAY

The Helpline Also Offers Moms Tips for Talking to Kids About Tobacco

OKLAHOMA CITY (May 11, 2022) — This Mother’s Day, May 14, mothers, expectant mothers and all Oklahoma women who use tobacco are encouraged to take a step towards a healthier life for themselves and their families by using the FREE services offered by the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline, a program of TSET.

Now through June 30, Oklahomans who sign up for the Helpline will get at least eight weeks of patches, gum or lozenges for free to aid their quit.

Candace Hammontree of Glenpool, Oklahoma, was motivated to quit tobacco to be a healthy role model for her family. She quit alongside her husband, Chase, both using the Helpline for support and assistance.

“You only get to enjoy your kids’ childhood once, and smoking cigarettes was standing in the way of that,”  said Candace. “We wanted to make sure our children grow up healthy. My personal goal was for my daughter to never remember her parents as cigarette smokers — and she doesn’t.”

Nearly 1 in 5 women in Oklahoma smokes. According to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the total state health costs to treat female smokers is $785 million each year. Female smokers put themselves at high risk for developing health issues like infertility, lung cancer, stroke and heart disease. Additionally, children from families that smoke are twice as likely to become smokers themselves, but many mothers say they don’t want to pass tobacco addiction to their children.

This Mother’s Day, the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline is offering all mothers, both smokers and nonsmokers, tips on how to protect their children from the dangers of smoking and secondhand smoke:

• If you smoke, call 1-800-QUIT NOW, text READY to 34191 or visit OKhelpline.com to learn more about the free, nonjudgmental support offered through the Helpline services.
• Educate your children about the dangers of smoking and tobacco use at an early age. Get age-specific conversation starters and talking points at StopsWithMe.com.
• Ask your child about their friends’ attitudes towards tobacco and vaping. Discuss peer pressure and how to deal with it.

• Clear up any misunderstandings your child might have about tobacco (for example: not everybody is doing it, getting hooked can happen very quickly and quitting is very difficult).
• Maintain a completely smokefree home and car.

To assist mothers and other participants in their quit journeys, the Helpline offers Oklahomans the opportunity to quit with free, personalized assistance. With services including text, phone and coach support and free patches, gum, lozenges and more, the Helpline gives all Oklahomans the tools to live tobacco free. Soon-to-be-moms are eligible for additional one-on-one support so babies can have the best start at life — and receive the gift of a healthier mom.

This Mother’s Day, consider a healthier life for you and your family by thinking about quitting tobacco. Call 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669), text READY to 34191 or visit OKhelpline.com to explore all the free services and resources available to Oklahomans. You can also connect with the Helpline through social media by liking the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline on Facebook or following @OKhelpline on Twitter and Instagram.

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The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline is a free service for Oklahomans wanting to help themselves, loved ones, patients or employees live tobacco free. Funding is primarily provided by the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust, in partnership with the Oklahoma State Department of Health, Oklahoma Health Care Authority, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline has served more than 490,000 Oklahomans since 2003 and has been ranked among the top quitlines for reaching tobacco users seeking treatment for the last 10 years by the North American Quitline Consortium.

The Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust serves as a partner and bridge builder for organizations shaping a healthier future for all Oklahomans. By providing leadership to local coalitions and initiatives across the state, TSET is cultivating innovative and life-changing research while working across public and private sectors to develop, support, implement and evaluate creative strategies to take advantage of emerging opportunities to improve the health of all Oklahomans. To learn more, visit Oklahoma.gov/TSET.