Teenagers trying to quit?
Check out resources just for you.
Counseling
You can get counseling in many ways that will help. Take a look at these counseling options and choose one that is a good fit for you.
Phone
One-on-one counseling through interactive phone calls are easy to access and available on nights and weekends, too. This is a great fit if you cannot go to in-person counseling, and prepares you for living tobacco free. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or text “READY” to 200-400 to get started.
Text
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. Text2Quit is available for free to Louisiana residents 18 and older—click here to enroll or text “READY” to 200-400.
Chat Now
Use your computer or tablet for immediate support through interactive web chat counseling sessions. Start chatting now.
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.
The Quitline provides online, phone and text support. Enroll today!
In-Person
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.
Pregnant? Get extra quit help!
The Quitline offers even more quit resources and support for pregnant women to meet your particular needs.
Medications
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. 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.
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. These medications come in a variety of forms, and can be used in different ways. Talk to your doctor to find out what medications could work best for you.
The Quitline provides 2 weeks of free patches or gum. Enroll today!
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)
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.
Over-the-Counter
- 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.
Prescription
- 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.
Ask your doctor which 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.