Pennsylvania to Offer Free Nicotine Patches Beginning Feb. 14

'Quit for Love' Campaign Encourages Smokers to Put Loved Ones First

HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Department of Health will offer free nicotine replacement therapy, or NRT, kits starting on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14, to help Pennsylvanians who want to give up tobacco in the name of love.

Under the "Quit for Love" campaign, the kits will be available through the state's Free Quitline (1-800-QUIT-NOW) for approximately six to eight weeks, or while supplies last.

"Tobacco use continues to be the leading cause of preventable death and disease," said acting Secretary of Health Dr. Eli Avila. "According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one of every five deaths nationwide is attributed to smoking. Quitting tobacco is a major step toward improving your overall health. Do it for yourself, for your friends, for your loved ones."

"We know that most people will try to quit an average of five to eight times before they succeed," said Leslie Best, Health Promotion and Risk Reduction Bureau Director. "Counseling coupled with the NRT increases the chances of success."

Individuals interested in receiving a free, four-week NRT kit should call the PA Free Quitline, 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669). Quit coaches will ask callers if they are ready to set a quit date and have any medical conditions that would rule out the safe use of nicotine patches. Callers will then enroll in a series of free counseling sessions.

The NRT kits are paid for by funding from the federal stimulus program and the Master Settlement Agreement. Under this agreement, 46 states -- including Pennsylvania -- receive payments from the tobacco industry to offset smoking-related medical costs and to help reduce the use of tobacco products.

Additional resources and information can be found online at www.DeterminedToQuit.com. The website provides guidance in developing a quit plan, a quit companion and calculator, and video blogs of other Pennsylvania residents sharing their own stories about quitting tobacco. There is also information for friends and family members of smokers who wish to support their loved one in their attempt to quit.

For more information about the state's cessation resources, call the PA Free Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or visit www.DeterminedToQuit.com.

The Department of Health's anti-tobacco efforts are intended to help individuals to quit—or never start—using tobacco products, and to curb the retail sale of tobacco to minors.

Media contact: Yasmin Coleman or Brandi Hunter-Davenport, 717-787-1783

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Health

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