Resources available to kick tobacco habit

Area residents who want to quit tobacco

can receive free help and, for a limited time, take advantage of

increased amounts of free nicotine replacement therapy and cost

reductions of cessation medications.

St. John’s Lutheran Hospital teams up

with Libby Community Interagencies to offer Tobacco Cessation

Classes and free Stop Smoking and Stop Chewing kits for area

residents interested in kicking the habit.

In addition, the Department of Public

Health and Human Services’s Montana Tobacco Quit Line began Jan. 1

offering six weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy – gum,

lozenges or the patch – up from a four-week supply that the program

normally offers.

The Quit Line is also, for a limited

time, reducing the monthly co-pay for Chantix from $50 to $25 for

up to three months, and Buproprion will be available for three

months at a $5 co-pay per month.

“In order for an individual to receive

either the Chantix or Bupropion, they must get a prescription from

their health-care provider, enroll in the Quit Line, and complete

the required free coaching calls,” said Barb Guthneck of Libby

Community Interagencies.

Callers who enroll with the Quit Line

will receive guidance from specialists who help each individual

develop a personalized quit plan, and five calls with a quit coach

who will guide the participant through the quitting process.

The free nicotine replacement therapy

products will be distributed in two shipments, one shipment of four

weeks and then an additional two weeks upon completion of the free

coaching calls with Quit Line specialists, Guthneck said.

“The calls will take place at the time

you choose from whatever phone line you want to take the free

calls,” she added.

For further information, call Guthneck

at 293-3620 or to get started, call the Quit Line at 1-800-QUIT NOW

(1-800-784-8669).