Quit Your Way

Don’t quit tobacco cold turkey. No single quit tobacco method is right for everyone, but research shows that when you combine quit counseling with medications, you can quit for good. Take a look at what Quit With Us, Louisiana offers participants and pick the type of counseling and medication that works best for you.

COUNSELING

Counseling is a supportive way to help you on your quit journey. Quit With Us, Louisiana offers free counselling through interactive phone calls, web chat or text that are easy to access—even on nights and weekends.

Participants receive five, free personal coaching sessions to prepare you for living tobacco free.

• 3 one-on-one coaching sessions by telephone, chat or text
• 2 coach-led group sessions (these can be swapped with one-on-one sessions)
• Unlimited inbound sessions

Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or text “READY” to 34191 to get started.

TEXT A COACH

Encouragement, advice and tips for becoming tobacco free via text. These text messages support your daily quit journey with useful quit reminders, tools and games to keep you quitting all day. Text a Coach is available for free to Louisiana residents 18 and older—click here to enroll or text “READY” to 34191.

NICOTINE REPLACEMENT THERAPY (NRT)

Quitting is hard enough without going cold turkey. When you use a combination of counseling and medication to manage your withdrawal symptoms, you can more than double your chances of success. NRTs are medications you can take to help lessen your urge to use tobacco. They give you a small amount of nicotine to help your body slowly and safely adjust to a tobacco-free life.

Research shows that NRT works. As with any medication, if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, consult your doctor before using. You can choose which forms you like best. Some NRT products work better than others for some people, while some people might prefer certain NRT products instead of others.

Through Quit With Us, Louisiana, participants can get free shipments of patches, gum or lozenges.

• Patches: A patch is placed on the skin releasing a small and steady amount of nicotine into the bloodstream.
• Gum: Chewing gum that delivers nicotine into the body as you chew.
• Lozenges: Like cough drops and hard candy, lozenges release nicotine as it slowly dissolves in the mouth.

Ask your doctor what medicine is right for you.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy Takes Time

• Use NRT only when you are ready to stop smoking. Even if you slip up, don’t give up on NRT. Keep trying.
• Be patient. NRT is a medicine that can take some getting used to, so give it time to work.
• Don’t stop using NRT until you’re ready. Over time, if your cravings decrease, you can use less and less NRT. Set up a schedule with your doctor or trusted healthcare provider.
• Remember, tobacco and NRT do not mix. Using tobacco while you use the gum, patch, nasal spray, inhaler, or lozenge will not hurt you, but will keep you further from your goal of quitting.

When you are trying to quit tobacco, know that medication alone can’t do all the work, but it will certainly help you through your quit journey.

EXTRA QUIT HELP FOR THOSE THAT NEED IT

Quit With Us, Louisiana offers even more quit resources and support to residents with behavioral health concerns, expecting families, black communities, and LGBTQ+ residents to meet your particular needs.

These priority populations receive seven coach interactions—five one-on-one and two group sessions with specially trained coaches, additional weeks of patches or lozenges, and tailored content for your personal dashboard.

LEARN MORE

OTHER QUIT SUPPORT

Quit With Us, Louisiana offers extensive free support, but there are other resources available to help you quit tobacco for good.

SMOKEFREE APP: Use your smartphone for tailored tips, inspiration and to monitor your quit progress, milestones and other achievements including tips to prepare you for living tobacco-free. Click here to learn about apps that can help you quit.

IN-PERSON COUNSELING: Individual counseling provides a more personalized quit experience and allows counselors to get a deeper understanding of the support you need with one-on-one quit counseling sessions. Group counseling sessions facilitated by a trained healthcare professional in a healthcare facility you get feedback, support and advice from others trying to quit tobacco in a supportive environment. Click here to schedule in-person counseling.

PRESCRIPTION NICOTINE REPLACEMENT THERAPY: There are FDA-approved medications that can ease your stress and irritation, and help you get through the early cravings that could last a few weeks that are prescribed by a doctor.

• Inhalers: A plastic cigarette-like tube with replaceable nicotine cartridges and a mouthpiece is inhaled like a cigarette for a specific amount of nicotine.
• Nasal Sprays: With a small dose of nicotine, the spray pump bottle is inserted into the nose for released nicotine.
• Bupropion SR Pills: As with some NRTs, you will need a prescription from your doctor for Bupropion SR. This medication does not contain nicotine, but seems to help curb withdrawal symptoms and lessen the urge to smoke.
• Varenicline Pills: Varenicline also contains no nicotine and you will need a prescription, but this drug may help ease your withdrawal symptoms and even block the effects of nicotine from cigarettes if you do smoke.