Every year, more than 30,000 people contact
the NewYork State Smokers’ Quitline for help in ending their dependence on
commercial tobacco products. That lifeline will remain in place, thanks to the
New York State Health Department’s renewal of its contract with Roswell Park
Comprehensive Cancer Center, home of the Quitline since it began 23 years ago.
Awarded on a competitive basis, the $20 million contract ensures funding for
the program for the next five years.
“The
New York State Smokers’ Quitline is an important point of help for New Yorkers
who are the most in need,” says Andrew Hyland, PhD, Chair, Department of Health Behavior at Roswell Park. “Most
people who contact the Quitline are people with lower income or are uninsured
or underinsured, and there’s no charge for anyone who uses our services. They
may not have a doctor, and for many, the Quitline is a place of last resort.”
The Quitline assists people of many ages,
ethnicities and economic backgrounds. The majority have used commercial tobacco
products for at least 20 years, and many are people who experience mental
health struggles, have physical limitations, and — despite showing signs of
nicotine dependence — have a strong desire to stop smoking.
There’s a lot to gain from quitting. More
than 28,000 people in New York State die from smoking or secondhand smoke every
year. That loss is compounded by the financial burden of smoking: A pack of
cigarettes purchased in New York State now costs $11.96 on average, adding up
to a staggering $4,365 per year. The cost will rise even higher with passage of
the 2023-24 New York State budget, which included a $1 increase in the
cigarette excise tax. That will bring the tax to $5.35 per pack — the highest
in the nation. Dr. Hyland expects the increase will motivate many people to
give up commercial tobacco products for good and that they will turn to the
Quitline for help.
Through its website and TV ads, the Quitline
invites smokers to get in touch with a tobacco treatment specialist via phone
or text, or to chat online. Along with one-on-one services, the Quitline offers
eligible people a free starter kit of nicotine replacement therapy medication;
tips for getting started and staying quit; contact information for support
groups around the state; connections to information about smoking-cessation
assistance covered by healthcare professionals; and videos on such topics as
nicotine and stress. Many of its online materials are available in both English
and Spanish, and Certified Languages International provides translation
services for additional languages.
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In March 2022, the Quitline introduced a new
service — Learn2QuitNY, a six-week program originally developed for cancer
patients at Roswell Park that has been redesigned and expanded to accommodate
all New York State residents who want to quit. Automated texts, delivered
daily, help people learn and practice new, proven strategies and skills to help
them quit commercial tobacco products for good — and provide an option for
those who might be uncomfortable talking with someone on the phone.
All treatment is provided by tobacco
treatment specialists who are certified by the international Council for
Tobacco Treatment Training Programs; Christine Sheffer, PhD, Director of Roswell Park’s Tobacco Treatment Service, serves
as president of the organization.
“Dr. Sheffer has helped increase the rigor of
the treatment we deliver, boosting the skill of our staff in delivering care
and better allowing us to tailor services to people of diverse backgrounds and
life experiences,” says Dr. Hyland.
All the specialists stay up to date with the
latest science on the most effective stop-smoking strategies. Since the Quitline’s
establishment in 2000, they have fielded calls from nearly 3 million New York
State residents.
“People who come to the Quitline often have
tried to quit several times,” says Dr. Hyland. “They say, ‘I tried the patch, I
tried the pills; nothing’s working for me.’ They share that they have
experienced a loved one dying of lung cancer and say, ‘I’ve seen the ads on TV,
and I’m really scared.’ That’s a pretty common circumstance. So, the training
is very important. Quitting tobacco is the best thing they can do for their
health.”
He adds that while all states have
Quitline’s, New York is one of very few with a Quitline managed by an in-state
organization; most are managed by corporate vendors. “For us to be able to
compete with them speaks to the value of our relationship with New York State —
a partnership that we value — and the value of the product we’ve delivered,”
says Dr. Hyland.
Comments
from New York State Smokers’ Quitline participants:
- Ron A., Buffalo: “A big part of
the success was the follow-up calls from the Quitline. It was so helpful
to know someone was looking out for my well-being. That encouraged me to
feel good about what I was doing and to keep going.”
- Connie L., Naples, NY: “I
called the Quitline, spoke with a specialist and received nicotine patches
and nicotine gum at my doorstep a few days later. The specialists checked
in with me throughout my journey, which was so helpful. They also
connected me with my healthcare insurance for additional support, and
because of that, I was able to receive an extra supply of nicotine
patches.”
- Rocky H., Utica, NY: “The
Quitline follow-up calls to check in with me felt like they were timed so
well. Real people; real concern; real help and support.”
- Mark L., Lake Placid, NY: “The
Quitline specialists discussed behavioral modification, and that changed
the way I think. I now think of myself as a non-smoker as opposed to
someone who’s just trying to quit smoking. The discussions I had with the
specialists were personable, friendly and supportive. There was no
judgment whatsoever, and their non-cookie-cutter approach was the key to
my success.”
From the world’s first chemotherapy research to the PSA prostate cancer
biomarker, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center generates innovations that
shape how cancer is detected, treated and prevented worldwide. Driven to
eliminate cancer’s grip on humanity, the Roswell Park team of 4,000 makes
compassionate, patient-centered cancer care and services accessible across New
York State and beyond. Founded in 1898, Roswell Park was among the first
three cancer centers nationwide to become a National Cancer Institute-designated
comprehensive cancer center and is the only one to hold this designation in
Upstate New York. To learn more about Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Roswell Park Care Network, visit www.roswellpark.org, call 1-800-ROSWELL (1-800-767-9355) or
email ASKRoswell@RoswellPark.org.
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