Tobacco Cessation Services Available

Polk County can be proud of having some of the lowest rates of smoking in the state of Oregon, but that doesn't stop smoking addiction from being a major barrier for community members trying to balance their budget. That’s because a higher proportion of smokers are low-income. Smoking rates run about 10 percentage points higher among those on the Oregon Health Plan compared to the general population. It is also very expensive. With cigarettes costing around $5 a pack, it isn't hard to see how this daily addiction can add up. $5 for a pack a day adds up to $150 a month and $1825 a year. Expensive and addicting, smoking holds many of our community members back from reaching their goals, or even from just making ends meet.  

Thankfully, there is help. The Oregon Tobacco Quitline, at 1-800-QUIT-NOW, offers tobacco cessation support by phone and online no matter where you are or what kind of insurance you have. Their services include counseling, nicotine replacement therapy, referrals and more. It is never easy to beat an addiction to tobacco, but the supports offered by the Quitline make it far more likely a quit attempt will be successful.
 
If your organization would like more information about this and other tobacco prevention services, contact the Polk County Tobacco Prevention Coordinator at 503 623-9664, extension 2302 and at stevenson.matthew@co.polk.or.us.