MTUPP is inviting Montanans who plan to quit tobacco for their 2008 New Year’s resolution to participate in an online blog called “I Quit! ‘08.”
The user-friendly blog, found at www.IQuit08.com, encourages tobacco users to share their reasons for wanting to quit. A blog is an interactive web site with regular entries, usually posted in reverse chronological order.
“We hope the blog will engage Montanans of all ages and offer an online support network for those who are ready to go tobacco-free,” said Linda Lee, MTUPP section supervisor for the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services.
The site also encourages the use of the Montana Tobacco Quit Line, a free service offering quit coaches and nicotine replacement therapy, such as gum, patches or lozenges. The Tobacco Quit Line can be accessed toll-free at 1-800-QUIT-NOW.
The blog provides helpful resources and advice for starting on a tobacco-free path, according to Heather Beck, MTUPP cessation specialist. “If you smoke, quitting is the only way to protect your health and the health of others from the deadly effects of tobacco smoke,” Beck said.
MTUPP also encourages spit tobacco users to visit the blog. Because spit tobacco delivers more nicotine than cigarettes, these products are highly addictive, and users often have great difficulty quitting. Spit tobacco causes oral, esophageal and stomach cancer and gum disease.
“Nearly half of Montana’s spit tobacco users say they want to quit,” Beck said. “This blog and the Tobacco Quit Line are here to help spit tobacco users accomplish their goal.” Montana adult men use spit tobacco at twice the national rate, and 15 percent of Montana high school boys report using spit tobacco.
According to Beck, in the last year nearly half of current smokers in Montana tried to quit but were unsuccessful. Tobacco users who call the Tobacco Quit Line are seven to 10 times more likely to be successful quitting than those who try to quit alone, she adds.-Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program
