Former smoker contributes success to QuitLine

Jeffrey Rickman of Dyersburg, Tenn., is just one of the thousands who used the Tobacco QuitLine for assistance in quitting his smoking habit. Some can’t kick the habit. Others do by following the same assistance Rickman used.

The 45-year-old called 1-800-QUIT-NOW after a visit to a hospital for a medical appointment where he saw a brochure for the service. The QuitLine connects smokers and other tobacco users to a professionally trained, hands-on Quit Counselor who can assist through the process of quitting and can help participants stay quit. The call and the confidential assistance are free and a Quit Kit is available to all participants. Assistance is provided in both English and Spanish languages.

Rickman was assigned a Quit Counselor to assist him in quitting smoking. Getting help through counseling can double or triple the chances of quitting successfully. The QuitLine’s trained Quit Counselors prepare and guide tobacco users throughout the quitting process, developing a personalized quit plan with one-on-one ongoing support to help Tennesseans quit. Callers are given free access to health materials, personal progress charts, interactive tools to recognize their unique triggers and cravings and other helpful resources that have proven successful in a quitter’s journey toward becoming tobacco-free.

His counselor provided him with a copy of the Quit Kit, which Rickman said was extremely valuable.

“The Quit Kit was a big help,” he said. “Believe it or not, I’m not a big reader, but I read that book from cover to cover. I filled out the information and I had the book read by nightfall. I love the book. It was helpful.”

The one impactful piece of information was the expense chart for smoking on how much a pack of cigarettes costs over time based on a person’s smoking habit. This was a real eye-opener for Rickman.

“When I figured up what my habit cost and what I’d be saving, I was like, you’re kidding me. That’s almost a car,” he said.

Rickman has remained tobacco-free for almost a year and intends to remain that way with support from friends and family. And when he gets the urge, he says he knows he can always call the QuitLine.

The call, assistance and an individual QuitKit is provided to all participants at no cost and all program services are confidential. 1-800-QUIT-NOW(1-800-784-8669) is available seven days a week in both English and Spanish languages and the program also offers enrollment online.

The websites for the Qsource states are:

Alabama –  http://www.quitnowalabama.com/

Indiana – http://www.quitnowindiana.com/

Kentucky – https://quitnowkentucky.org/en-US/

Mississippi – http://www.quitlinems.com/

Tennessee – http://www.tnquitline.org/