Help to Quit

Residents of Johnson County can access several resources that help tobacco users who want to quit.

Free Hotline for All Iowans: Quitline Iowa

Want to quit smoking? Help is just a phone call away! 1-866-Quit-Now (1-800-784-8669)

Quitline Iowa is a toll-free, statewide smoking cessation telephone counseling hotline. Trained counselors provide callers with information about the health consequences of tobacco use, assistance in making an individualized quit plan, and on-going support through optional follow-up calls. The Quitline is staffed Monday through Thursday 7:00 am- 12:00 am, Friday from 7:00 am- 9:00 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 am - 7:00 pm. The Quitline offers both English and Spanish-speaking counselors. Counseling services in an additional 150 languages are available through a translation service. Services are also provided for the hearing impaired.

College Students: Health Iowa/Student Health Services

Student Health Service provides a tobacco cessation program FREE of charge for all registered University of Iowa students. The Health Iowa cessation counselor will do whatever it takes to help you quit. An individual tobacco cessation program will be tailored to fit your needs and tobacco habits.

Students come in for an initial consultation which includes information on the various methods used for tobacco cessation, behavior modification, goals for quitting tobacco, barriers in your quitting process, and answers to any questions you may have concerning quitting smoking or chewing. Tobacco cessation methods discussed during the consultation include "cold turkey", Zyban, nicotine replacement therapy (the patch, nasal spray, gum, inhaler), postponing smoking time, and tapering. Financial assistance is available for nicotine replacement therapies. If you are interested in using Zyban, you will need to make an appointment with a physician/physician’s assistant at Student Health Service as well in order to get a prescription.

After the initial consultation, continued support is available through individual consultations, email, phone calls, or letters. Follow-up support is tailored to the individual. To make an appointment for a tobacco cessation consultation, call Student Health Service at (319) 335-8394 or visit their website at http://www.uiowa.edu/~shs/health_iowa/substance_abuse/index.shtml.

University of Iowa Employees: University Employee Health Clinic

The University Employee Health Clinic (UEHC) Smoking Cessation Program offers individual counseling sessions to employees who would like to quit smoking. The initial visit includes an assessment of health and smoking history, review of smoking effects and development of an individual smoking cessation plan. In addition, the program consists of five follow-up visits scheduled within 12 consecutive weeks.

Many methods to quit smoking can be used such as "cold turkey", nicotine gum, nicotine skin patch, nicotine nasal spray, nicotine inhaler or Zyban. Stress management, behavior modifications and weight control are related issues and are discussed during counseling sessions.

The clinic is conducted by professional nurses who are trained at the Freedom From Smoking Facilitator Workshop sponsored by the American Lung Association.

Walk-ins are welcome during working hours or call (319) 356-3631 to make an appointment. Visit their website at http://www.uihealthcare.com/depts/employeehealthclinic/wellness.html

Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) Coupon

Quitline Iowa provides a free 2 week supply of nicotine replacement therapy to anyone who calls the quitline, and free 8 week supplies for those who enroll in the program.