Through with Chew Week!

Montana’s smokeless tobacco use prevalence (14%) for adult males is nearly twice as high as the national average. February 21-27 is “Through with Chew Week,” an entire week dedicated to educating Montanans about the health risks of smokeless tobacco and the health benefits of quitting.

“There is no safe form of tobacco. Smokeless tobacco can cause cancer of the mouth, tongue, cheek, gum, esophagus and pancreas. It also causes gum disease, tooth decay, and tooth loss,” stated Sonia Young, local Tobacco Prevention Specialist.

The Montana Tobacco Quit Line helps Montanans quit all forms of tobacco use, including smokeless tobacco. To increase your chance of a successful quit, the Quit Line offers 8 weeks of free nicotine patches, gum, and lozenges and, while supplies last, three months of free Chantix. Montanans who use smokeless tobacco and receive Quit Line coaching and use nicotine patches, gum, or lozenges have a quit rate of 46%. That quit rate jumps to 76% for those who receive coaching and use Chantix.

New this year to the Montana Tobacco Quit Line is free online chat with a quit coach. Visit QuitNowMontana.com to start chatting with a coach. Additionally, Montanans under 25 can now receive coaching via text messaging. Just text “Start” to 36072.

In addition to the Quit Line, the Phillips County Health Department has “Through with Chew” kits available for free. These kits contain information on the Quit Line, tips to help you with a successful quit, a free can of Smokey Mountain Chew (a tobacco-free and nicotine-free substitute), and other goodies. Stop by or call to pick up your kit today.

Quitting tobacco can be the most important thing you do for your health.

Start your quit today!

Montana Tobacco Quit Line: 1-800-QUIT-NOW or QuitNowMontana.com

American Indian Commercial Tobacco Quit Line: 1-855-5AI-QUIT or MTAmercianIndianQuitLine.com