Minnesota Launches Free Program to Help People Quit Smoking, Vaping, and Chewing Tobacco

MINNESOTA – The Minnesota Department of Health just launched a new program to help people who are interested in quitting smoking, vaping, or chewing tobacco.

The program, called Quit Partner, offers free, personal counseling over the phone and online, plus it sends free lozenges, gum, and patches to help your body wean itself off of nicotine.

There are an estimated 600,000 smokers in Minnesota.

In one week since the program launch, the Minnesota Department of Health saw 700 people register for Quit Partner.

The timing of the program starting up is purely coincidental with the COVID-19 pandemic, but health officials say the timing couldn’t be better.

“This is a time where anxieties are running high, depression, and it might feel like a harder time to quit, but it’s never been more important to improve your lung health and boost your immunity,” Laura Oliven, Tobacco Control Manager with the Minnesota Department of Health, emphasized. “You can increase the likelihood of a successful quit dramatically. You’re probably two times more likely to achieve the success if you get this help.”

The program lasts four weeks, and you can sign up twice a year.

If you suffer from mental health concerns or substance abuse, you can be eligible for 12 weeks of the program.

There are also specialized programs for women who are pregnant or postpartum, teens who vape, and Native Americans, whose population has a 60% rate of tobacco use compared to the general population at 14%, according to Oliven.

You can visit the Quit Partner website or call 1-800-784-8669.