The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline Offers FREE Quit Support
OKLAHOMA CITY — This Mother’s Day, the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline is encouraging moms across Oklahoma to take the first step toward a healthier future for themselves and their families by using the Helpline’s FREE quit services.
In Oklahoma, about 15% of women smoke. Smoking raises the risk of infertility, lung cancer, stroke, diabetes and heart disease. For pregnant women, smoking can also lead to early birth, low birth weight and other serious health problems for their babies.
“Helping Oklahomans live healthier lives is at the heart of TSET’s mission,” said Julie Bisbee, TSET executive director. “By offering free help to quit tobacco, the Helpline supports stronger families and builds healthier communities across our state.”
Quitting tobacco is one of the most important steps a mother can take to protect her family's health. Secondhand smoke is especially dangerous for babies and young children, whose lungs are still developing. Exposure to smoke can lead to serious health problems like sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), asthma attacks, pneumonia and frequent ear infections.
Many parents say they want to quit tobacco so their kids do not pick up the habit. Research shows children of smokers are twice as likely to become smokers themselves. Quitting tobacco protects your own health and sets a positive example for your children.
Candace Hammontree of Glenpool used the Helpline to quit smoking. She and her husband, Chase, quit together to be better role models for their children.
“I think it’s really important to set a good example for our kids,” Candace said. “Having parents who don’t smoke gives them the best chance for a healthy future.”
This Mother’s Day, the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline encourages moms to protect their families with these simple steps:
• Avoid places where smoking or vaping is allowed
• Keep your home and car 100% tobacco-free
• Talk with your children early about the dangers of tobacco
• Ask your children about their friends’ attitudes toward smoking and discuss how to handle peer pressure
Talking with kids early can make a big difference. Tobacco Stops With Me, a program of TSET, offers free resources to help parents have these important conversations. Visit TalkAboutTobacco.com for easy conversation starters, tips and tools for every age group.
The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline offers FREE, personalized help to fit your needs and schedule, including:
• A supply of FREE patches, gum or lozenges
• One-on-one Coaching
• A personalized quit plan
• 24/7 support by phone, text or web
To get started, call 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669), text READY to 34191 or visit OKhelpline.com. Follow the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline on Facebook or @OKhelpline on Instagram for tips and encouragement.
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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.
Tobacco Stops With Me is a statewide campaign, funded through the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Trust, that provides an efficient, emotional and highly recognizable tobacco-free message for Oklahomans to rally around. By educating the public about the negative effects and impact of tobacco, the goal of Tobacco Stops With Me is to prevent and reduce tobacco use, improving the health and quality of life for all Oklahomans. Tobacco Stops With Me aims to inspire individuals to make positive changes—not only for their own health, but for the health of the entire state as well. Free resources and more information at StopsWithMe.com.
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