North Dakota Offers Nicotine Replacement Products

As an incentive for smokers and spit-tobacco users to quit using tobacco, the North Dakota Tobacco Quitline is offering free nicotine replacement products to anyone who enrolls in Quitline counseling and is uninsured or does not have cessation coverage through their health plan. Tobacco users who make the commitment to quit will visit with a cessation counselor and, after evaluation, will be offered a free 28-day supply of nicotine patches or nicotine gum.

"Telephone counseling through the Quitline is always free to North Dakota residents, and it can be arranged at convenient times for the caller," said Michelle Walker, North Dakota Tobacco Quitline coordinator for the North Dakota Department of Health. "Now we're also offering free nicotine patches or nicotine gum to help tobacco users up the odds of a successful quit attempt. If you use tobacco and want to quit, the Quitline is really too good a deal to pass up."

The announcement of the free nicotine replacement products comes right before the Great American Smokeout, November 15. The Great American Smokeout, which is in its 31st year, is a nationwide event held on the third Thursday of November each year to encourage smokers to quit.

"The Great American Smokeout is a day dedicated to encouraging tobacco users to make a healthy change in their lives by quitting tobacco use," Walker said. "November 15 would certainly be a great day for tobacco users to call the Quitline so we can help them make that healthy change - with one-on-one counseling and support and free nicotine replacement products."