World No Tobacco Day Unmasks the Harms of Tobacco

OKLAHOMA CITY (May 27, 2025) — In recognition of World No Tobacco Day, Tobacco Stops With Me, a program of the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET), reminds Oklahomans of the serious health risks caused by tobacco use. The event will be observed on Saturday, May 31.

For 38 years, World No Tobacco Day has raised awareness about the hazards of tobacco use, educated on the dangers of secondhand smoke and encouraged those who are addicted to nicotine to quit. An additional goal of this event is to encourage policy change, pushing for bans on tobacco advertising and the methods used to make products more appealing.

“Big Tobacco continues to find new ways to creep into the lives of what they call ‘replacement customers,’” said Julie Bisbee, TSET executive director. “World No Tobacco Day reinforces our mission to protect the health of Oklahomans by exposing these tactics and empowering individuals to make informed choices.”

This year’s theme is “Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products.” This theme is an effort to bring attention to the deceptive tactics tobacco companies use to promote their products.

This mission aligns with the work of the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline, a TSET-funded program offering free, customized support for those ready to quit. Last year, the Helpline saw 27,274 registrations.

The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline offers:

  • A supply of free patches, gum or lozenges
  • One-on-one Coaching
  • A personalized quit plan
  • 24/7 support by phone, text or web

Oklahomans ready to quit can call 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669), text READY to 34191 or visit OKhelpline.com. Follow the Helpline on Facebook or @OKhelpline on Instagram for motivation and quit tips.

For youth struggling with nicotine addiction, My Life, My Quit, another TSET program, offers teens ages 13–17 a variety of free tools and personal support to quit. Learn more or enroll at MyLifeMyQuit.com or text “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 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.

Tobacco Stops With Me is a statewide campaign, funded through the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Trust, that provides an efficient, emotional and highly recognizable tobacco-free message for Oklahomans to rally around. By educating the public about the negative effects and impact of tobacco, the goal of Tobacco Stops With Me is to prevent and reduce tobacco use, improving the health and quality of life for all Oklahomans. Tobacco Stops With Me aims to inspire individuals to make positive changes—not only for their own health, but for the health of the entire state as well. Free resources and more information at StopsWithMe.com.

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 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

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The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline is a FREE service for Oklahomans wanting to quit tobacco. Funding is primarily provided by the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET), in partnership with the Oklahoma State Department of Health, Oklahoma Health Care Authority, Oklahoma Employees Group Insurance Division and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline has served more than 365,000 Oklahomans since 2003 and was ranked the top quitline for reaching tobacco users seeking treatment in FY2013 by the North American Quitline Consortium.

The Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) serves as a partner and bridge builder for organizations working towards 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, by cultivating innovative and life-changing research, and by 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. TSET – Better Lives Through Better Health. To learn more go to: www.ok.gov/tset.

For more information, contact:
Thomas Larson, Director of Public Information and Outreach
thomasl@tset.ok.gov
Direct: (405) 521-4992
Cell: (405) 642-6860

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