Smoking is scary! Make October your time to quit

More than 300 King County employees and their spouses/partners have enrolled in Free and Clear this year.  Over half are already smoke-free.  The Surgeon General has said there’s no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke – even occasional smoking is scary for your health.  So if October is your time to quit, enroll in the free comprehensive tobacco cessation program.  Quit for Life program is provided to King County employees, partners and dependants aged 18 – 26.  Register online or call 1-866- Quit-4-Life (1-866-784-8454).  King County has other tobacco cessation resources to help too.

Quit Tobacco Resources

King County employee resources:

• Free customized support - Quit For Life. Provided by King County for employees and their family members over 18, this program provides a customized plan to help you quit tobacco. Quit For Life is the Nation's most successful tobacco cessation program and is confidential. Receive free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) mailed directly to your home. Call 1-866-Quit-4-Life (1-866-784-8454) to register.
• Reimbursement for the patch and other nicotine replacement treatment – Both KingCareSM and Group Health offer free or reimbursed over-the-counter drugs such as the patch, gum etc. Go to the Health Matters Quit Tobacco site or call 206-684-1556 for details.
• See your doctor - Group Health and Aetna/KingCareSM members may schedule a visit with their doctor for tobacco cessation help including developing a quit plan and discussing available pharmacological and over-the- counter medications. Your provider can help you determine which quit methods are right for you. Your KingCareSM visit is covered at 100%. Group Health copays apply.

Community resources:

• Washington State Quit Line – 1-800-QUIT-NOW or online at www.quitline.com. The Quit Line provided telephone coaching and an internet-based quit tool. It's free to anyone living in Washington state.
  
• Public Health - Seattle & King County – call 206-296-7613 for information on community resources and other tools to help you quit.
  
• American Lung Association - Free online support through Freedom from Smoking. Freedom from Smoking community support groups (7-week sessions) are open to everyone. Find a session near you through the website.
  
• American Cancer Society – 800-ACS-2345 or online at www.cancer.org.