Ready to Quit Smoking? Get Free Government Help Now!
This information is current as of April 13, 2022.
It’s no surprise that smoking is terrible for both one’s health and budget. A pack-a-day habit can easily cost you thousands of dollars a year, while the long-term physical effects could even lead to death. So, do you think it’s time to quit smoking? If so, you should be proud of yourself for taking the first step.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) offers tons of free resources to help people quit smoking, including:
- Free coaching
- Sessions with a smoking counselor
- Mobile apps
- Guidance on Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), and more.
Additional resources are given through other organizations that you can easily access online.
Ready to quit smoking? Get free government help now.
How to Quit Smoking With Government Help
Many people think that quitting smoking is a challenge they need to face, but it’s essential to know that you are not alone. There are tons of helping hands out there offering free assistance to get you to quit smoking today.
Ready to quit smoking? Get free government help now, starting with the CDC and other non-profits, government agencies, and independent organizations. You can find the support you need to stay strong as you quit this unhealthy habit with these.
The CDC is the U.S.’s national health protection agency for those who don’t know. It is responsible for providing resources and guidelines to keep Americans healthy and active.
You may be wondering why the government would want to help Americans quit smoking. Apart from keeping citizens healthy, money is also a motivator. Every year, more than $300 billion is spent on smoking-related illnesses. This includes a combination of medical care and lost money from a loss in work productivity across job sectors.
The good news is many people do want to quit smoking, which continues to push the CDC to provide resources to get you on the path towards your quitting goal.
Get Support From a Counselor
The CDC starts by offering free sessions with a “quit coach” or counselor. This is a certified professional trained in smoking cessation – another way to say “quit smoking” – who can help you develop an effective plan to stop smoking.
Many people attempt to quit cold turkey, throwing out their cigarettes from one day to another. While it may work for a select few, this could be too intense for long-term smokers. In addition, cold turkey quitting can lead to unpleasant withdrawal symptoms that may have you back at the tobacco store in less than a day.
By speaking with a quit coach, you can receive guidance in creating a realistic and doable plan to help push smoking to the side.
Some tips you may go over with your coach include:
- Creating an environment that helps you quit
- Distracting yourself
- Safe substitutes for cigarettes
- Adjusting any medications
- Listening and controlling your urges
- Handling the waves of emotions that come with quitting
To receive this guidance, call the Quit Hotline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW. You’ll receive information on connecting with a quit coach and helpful information on additional resources for quitting. For example, through the Quit Hotline, you might be able to access discounted or even free quit medicines, such as nicotine patches.
Use Medication to Help with Withdrawal
The CDC also offers some guidance on using medications to manage withdrawal symptoms.
Quitting smoking is generally tough because the body has become used to the activity and nicotine, producing a daily craving for cigarettes. If you were to stop cold turkey, the body reacts as if you’ve taken away something it needs. This creates unpleasant; temporary side effects called withdrawal symptoms.
Some withdrawal symptoms may include:
- Intense cravings to smoke again
- Agitation and bad moods
- Feeling jittery
- Difficulty focusing
- Trouble sleeping
- Feeling hungrier
- Feeling down or anxious
Everybody reacts differently to quitting smoking, so that you may experience all, none, or some symptoms. The critical thing to remember is that they are temporary, usually becoming the most intense by day three and subsiding entirely within two weeks.
The CDC offers information on different medications to help those with intense withdrawal symptoms.
Firstly, you can learn about NRT, which is when you replace the nicotine from your cigarettes with things like nicotine patches or gum until you slowly wean off of it.
They also offer information on stronger, prescription medications that can be prescribed through your doctor as you prepare to quit smoking.
Overall, the CDC recommends combining medication assistance with a quit coach or counselor for the best results in quitting and staying away from smoking.
Apps and Social Support to Help You Quit
The CDC knows that humans are social creatures, and this means our daily interactions can help us make or break bad habits. So they offer social media support through videos, Facebook accounts, Twitter feeds, and Pinterest posts to keep you motivated and encouraged on your quitting journey.
A quitSTART App can be downloaded on either Google Play or the Apple Store to help you. This app allows you to monitor your progress, get back on track if you smoke again, and uses games and challenges to help distract you from cravings.
In addition to the CDC, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health also created an app called NCI QuitPal. This app can help you:
- Set a quit date, financial goals, and reminders
- Track your smoking
- Track your smoking expenses
- Receive smoking cessation tips
- Connect with social networks
- Access the NCI’s informative service
The NCI also offers a free texting program. This program sends you daily supportive texts as you quit smoking, lasting between six and eight weeks.
Finally, in addition to its app and hotline, the NCI also offers alternative resources for those trying to quit smoking.
Cessation Materials to Help You Quit
The CDC offers tons of cessation materials to help every kind of smoker. Cessation materials can be guides, PDFs, lists, or flyers. A great example is a smoking cessation fact sheet provided by the CDC.
These materials provide in-depth information on everything from cessation insurance coverage to youth cessation. In addition, you’ll learn how quitting smoking affects your body, what you can do about it, and what additional resources are available as you become smoke-free.
Help from the U.S. HHS
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is another government agency that aims to enhance the health and well-being of Americans across the country.
They have created the website BeTobaccoFree.gov, which provides smoke-free apps, opportunities to speak to an expert, guidance on medications to help with withdrawal, and a text messaging service to encourage you.
Additional Help to Quit Smoking
While the government offers plenty of resources to help you quit smoking, you can also take advantage of other organizations’ free tools and assistance.
For example, the American Cancer Society also offers a quit-line you can call and the American Lung Association.
You can also join support groups and programs alongside others who are quitting through the American Lung Association or Nicotine Anonymous.
Reasons to Quit Smoking
While you may have heard them all before, it’s essential to consider the why behind quitting smoking.
- Tobacco kills up to half of its users.
- Second-hand smoke kills up to 1.2 million people each year.
- Smoking can cost you thousands of dollars per year, plus hours of lost work or free time.
Final Thoughts
So, are you finally ready to quit smoking? Get free government help now! You have countless resources to help you quit smoking and stay on track with your goals.
The CDC is a great resource to provide a quit coach/counselor, informative resources, and even social media to provide support and tips on your journey. In some cases, you can even access free or cost-reduced quit medicine, such as nicotine patches.
Other departments, such as HHS and the NIC, have apps to set your quitting goals and keep track of everything from how much you’re smoking to how much you’re spending on tobacco.
No matter how long you’ve been smoking, know that you’re not alone. More than half of adult smokers have attempted to quit in the last year, and, for many, it may take multiple attempts to reach that goal. However, you’re more likely to stay on track with extra support, so take advantage of these resources today!
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