Free Tobacco-Cessation Programs

Palmetto Health, in conjunction with the University of South Carolina’s Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, offers Free Yourself from Smoking class offering motivational counseling, medical consultation and free one-month supply of Zyban. Classes are held twice a week, Mondays through Thursdays, at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Palmetto Health Baptist, 1501 Sumter St., in the Community Services conference room (basement). Advance registration is required and is open to residents of Richland, Lexington and Fairfield counties.  For more information or to register for the next available class, call 803.296.2273

Tobacco Cessation Quitline

1-800-QUIT-NOW (784-8669), the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Con­trol’s toll-free “quitline” is free for any S.C. resident who’d like to speak to a cessation counselor. Quit coaches are available 8 am to 3am, seven days a week, to help you create a personalized Quit Plan.

Tobacco Cessation Coaching Programs Offered to Faculty and Staff

Faculty and staff that have health insurance with State Health Plan, BlueChoice HealthPlan and Cigna can access professionally trained Quit Coaches to create a personalized quit plan. Depending on your plan the program may provide free nicotine replacement therapy (nicotine patches, gum or lozenges), or the Quit Coach may recommend you see your doctor to find out if a smoking-cessation drug is needed. The prescription drugs are available through your prescription drug benefit.

For more information visit www.eip.sc.gov and look under tobacco cessation.

Tobacco Cessation Additional Resources

Receive information about the harmful effects of smoking and how to quit smoking through real time online assistance with The National Cancer Institute’s LiveHelp Service, found on www.cancer.gov. LiveHelp offers confidential one-on-one counseling with information specialists who can answer questions regarding cancer and quitting smoking. It is available Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 11:00 pm.