Quit Tobacco for Good: Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline Expands Free Support This February
Oklahomans Can Access Eight Weeks of Patches, Gum or Lozenges Beginning February 1
OKLAHOMA CITY (Jan. 23, 2025) — The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline, a program of the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET), is offering Oklahomans thinking about quitting tobacco a powerful boost this February. All month long, Oklahomans who sign up for the Helpline will get at least eight weeks of patches, gum or lozenges for free – four times more than typically available. This limited-time offer of extra nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) runs through February 28.
“If it wasn’t for the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline, I’d still be smoking cigarettes today,” said Brian Brower, a resident of Claremore. “If it wasn’t for the free services I wouldn’t have tried it, this is the one true place that offered free help.”
In addition to NRT support, the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline offers the opportunity to quit with free, personalized help from trained Coaches.
“The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline is a vital resource that empowers Oklahomans to take control of their health and live tobacco free,” said Julie Bisbee, TSET executive director. “By providing personalized support and resources, we’re fulfilling TSET’s mission to shape a healthier future for all Oklahomans.”
In a 7-month follow-up survey, 44.4% of participants said they had remained tobacco-free for at least 30 days — well above the 30% success rate considered a national benchmark. With 97% user satisfaction, the Helpline stands out as one of the nation’s leading quit services.
Smokers put themselves at high risk for developing smoking-related health issues like lung cancer, stroke, diabetes and heart disease. Through secondhand smoke, they risk endangering the health of their families. Quitting smoking lets blood vessels work better and helps the heart and lungs. Quitting at any age can give back years of life that would be lost by continuing to smoke.
Call 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669), text READY to 34191 or visit OKhelpline.com to explore all the free services. Connect with the Helpline through social media by liking the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline on Facebook or following @OKhelpline on 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 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 had more than half a million registrations 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 (TSET) serves as a partner and bridge builder for organizations shaping a healthier future for all Oklahomans. TSET provides leadership at the intersections of health by working with local coalitions and initiatives across the state, cultivating innovative and life-changing research and working across public and private sectors to develop, support, implement and evaluate creative strategies to take advantage of emerging opportunities to improve the public’s health. To learn more, go to Oklahoma.gov/TSET.
TSET – Better Lives Through Better Health
