Pennsylvania's Free Quitline, 1-800 QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669), is offered as a partnership between the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the American Cancer Society. Based on state-of-the art techniques in smoking cessation, the service provides counseling and structured assistance for individuals who are committed to quitting. Smokers who live in Pennsylvania and are committed to quitting smoking are eligible to call the "Free Quitline" for smoking cessation assistance. Those wanting to help someone quit also are encouraged to call.

The Free Quitline can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Each year millions of Americans attempt to stop smoking. Many are interested in advice and counseling that may improve their likelihood of success. However, most of these smokers are not willing or able to attend individual or group counseling sessions. Because of easy access and caller confidentiality, telephone counseling and self-help materials may provide a useful approach to assisting smokers achieve and maintain cessation.

When compared with smokers who try to quit on their own, smokers who make quit attempts with telephone support and self-help advice are approximately twice as likely to attain success.

The Free Quitline is staffed by a group of clinically trained counselors. Callers are assessed for their readiness to quit and given counseling options. Counselors then offer up to five pro-active counseling sessions to smokers who are ready to make a serious attempt to quit.

Counselors also provide active listening to callers, educational information, and referral to other healthcare professionals if needed, prescription advice for action, social reinforcement, skill training, and encouragement for expressions of thoughts and feelings.

Finally, counselors provide cessation information and help callers find local resources and cessation assistance programs to follow-up Quitline sessions.

While this service focuses on cigarette smokers, the advice and support that it provides also may be useful for helping other tobacco dependence. The service is available in English and Spanish, with other languages available as needed.

All calls are confidential and strict privacy of all information received will be maintained.

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Health