The Alabama Department of Public Health’s Tobacco Prevention and Control Program is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Alabama Tobacco Quitline.
According to the ADPH, since 2005, the Alabama Tobacco Quitline has received over 360,000 phone calls, and over 93,000 Alabamians have enrolled in the program.
The Alabama Quitline is a free telephone and online coaching service that helps people quit tobacco.
Additional services the Quitline offers include a personalized quit plan and up to eight weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy patches if enrolled in the coaching program and medically eligible.
The Quitline is flexible and will schedule coaching sessions for times that fit the user’s schedule.
Combining counseling with nicotine replacement therapy patches is considered one of the most effective methods to quit tobacco.
Nicotine replacement therapy patches help manage withdrawal symptoms, while counseling provides support to overcome cravings and triggers.
The Alabama Quitline has continued to grow and expand over the years.
In 2006, free nicotine replacement therapy patches were added to assist participants who were enrolled in the coaching program and medically eligible to quit tobacco.
In 2013, a Spanish language option was added to the Quitline to increase access for Alabama’s Spanish-speaking population.
A texting portal was added in 2023, creating another free option for Alabamians looking to quit using tobacco products.
For help quitting tobacco, call 1-800-QUITNOW, text QUIT to (205) 900-2550, or visit the Quit Now Alabama website.
