Chew On This: You Don’t Have to Quit Smokeless Tobacco Alone

The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline Offers FREE Quit Support

OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 16, 2022) —Through With Chew Week, Feb. 20 – 26, raises awareness and educates the public on the detrimental health effects of smokeless tobacco. The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline, a program of Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET), offers Oklahomans the opportunity to quit with FREE personalized help. The Helpline provides services including text and email support, phone and web coaching, at least a two-week supply of nicotine patches, gum, or lozenges, and more!

Often referred to as snuff, dip or chew, smokeless tobacco causes many health conditions including several cancers. Historically, people used smokeless tobacco thinking it was a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes. However, smokeless tobacco also contains addictive nicotine and harmful carcinogens that are linked to cancer of the mouth, pancreas and esophagus. In addition, users can experience bad breath, gum disease, tooth decay and even tooth loss.

“The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline offers free cessation resources year-round to all Oklahomans,” said Julie Bisbee, executive director. “Smokeless tobacco can be very difficult to quit, and we want Oklahomans to know there is support, especially as we mark the Through With Chew Week.”

As you consider quitting smokeless tobacco, learn what to expect. Withdrawal symptoms include irritability, irregularity or constipation, hunger, headaches and a desire for sweets. Chewing on sugar-free gum, mints or anything crunchy can help curb cravings and keep you on track for staying tobacco free. Physical activity, even something as simple as a walk around the block, can help calm nerves.

Call 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669) or visit OKhelpline.com to explore the free services and resources available to Oklahomans. You can also connect with the Helpline through Facebook or by following us @OKhelpline on Twitter and Instagram.

For Oklahoma youth wanting to tackle their nicotine addiction, My Life, My Quit provides teens 13 – 17 tailored resources for quitting tobacco. The text-based program offers free and confidential help from a quit coach specially trained to listen to teens. MLMQ also helps teens navigate social situations that involve tobacco or vaping and helps teens find healthy ways to cope with stress. These free services can be found at MyLifeMyQuit.com or by texting “Start My Quit” to 36072.

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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 470,000 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.

My Life, My Quit is a free program to help Oklahoma teens, ages 13-17, quit tobacco and e-cigarettes. By offering free live texting, web chat and phone calls, My Life, My Quit supports teens through the steps of quitting tobacco. Funded by the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust, these free services for Oklahoma teens can be found at MyLifeMyQuit.com or by texting “Start My Quit” to 36072.

The Oklahoma 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 www.ok.gov/tset.

TSET – Better Lives Through Better Health