"Through With Chew Week" Highlights the Danger of Smokeless Tobacco
The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline Offers FREE Quit Support
OKLAHOMA CITY — Through With Chew Week, February 16 - 22, is an opportunity to raise awareness about the dangers of smokeless tobacco—also known as chew or dip—and encourage Oklahomans to quit. The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline, a program of the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET), provides free resources and support to help users successfully quit.
“Many people underestimate the serious health risks of smokeless tobacco, which include cancer,” said Julie Bisbee, TSET executive director. “Through the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline, we offer proven tools and expert support to help Oklahomans stop tobacco use and take control of their health.”
Smokeless tobacco contains high levels of nicotine, making it just as addictive as cigarettes. A 30-minute dip delivers as much nicotine as smoking three cigarettes, and using two cans per week is equivalent to a pack-a-day smoker’s nicotine intake. Additionally, smokeless tobacco contains at least 28 cancer-causing chemicals, increasing the risk of oral, esophageal and pancreatic cancer. Users also face bad breath, gum disease, tooth decay and tooth loss.
Extra Quit Support Available This February
Quitting smokeless tobacco isn’t easy, but the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline makes it easier. For a limited time, Oklahomans who sign up this February will receive at least eight weeks of nicotine patches, gum or lozenges for FREE—four times the usual two-week supply. This special offer ends Feb. 28.
Helpline participants also get:
• One-on-one Coaching
• Personalized quit plans
• 24/7 support via phone, text and web
• Free expert advice from trained professionals
Take the First Step Today
Call 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669), text READY to 34191 or visit OKhelpline.com to explore all the free services and resources available. Stay connected by liking the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline on Facebook or following @OKhelpline on Instagram.
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The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline is a free service for Oklahomans wanting to help themselves, loved ones, patients or employees live tobacco free. Funding is primarily provided by the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust, in partnership with the Oklahoma State Department of Health, Oklahoma Health Care Authority and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline has had more than half a million registrations since 2003 and has been ranked among the top quitlines for reaching tobacco users seeking treatment for the last 10 years by the North American Quitline Consortium.
The Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) serves as a partner and bridge builder for organizations shaping a healthier future for all Oklahomans. TSET provides leadership at the intersections of health by working with local coalitions and initiatives across the state, cultivating innovative and life-changing research and working across public and private sectors to develop, support, implement and evaluate creative strategies to take advantage of emerging opportunities to improve the public’s health. To learn more, go to Oklahoma.gov/TSET.
TSET – Better Lives Through Better Health