New Year’s Resolution: Save a Life – Kick a Nicotine Habit

By Diane Lee, Public Information Officer, Garrett County Health Department

Nicotine is the addictive ingredient in cigarettes, chew, and snuff, and now in too many vaping devices to mention. No matter how you use it, nicotine and its many accompanying ingredients are poison to your body. Make your New Year’s resolution one that can save your life – kick the nicotine habit!

Any New Year’s resolution is hard to keep, but the Garrett County Health Department makes kicking the nicotine habit a goal you just might be able to reach. Quit Now classes are scheduled throughout each year and the first one in 2023 starts on Thursday, January 5^th at 3:30 pm in the conference room at the Health Department’s Oakland office. 

“We are here to help you,” said Lori Peck, tobacco treatment specialist at the Health Department. “The Quit Now class is more of a support group. We provide helpful resources and cessation aids, but the best part is the continual support of the other participants who are going through the same thing you are. Being able to talk to someone who understands your journey is priceless.”

Quit classes are open to users of all types of tobacco, including cigarettes, smokeless, and electronic smoking devices like e-cigs, vapes and Juuls. Research has shown that involvement in a group increases the chances of success in quitting tobacco. 

Throughout the course of the six-week class, participants will receive several resources to help them change their habits, including a notebook with many tools, and free cessation aids in the form of nicotine patches, nicotine gum or lozenges, or one of the prescription drugs, Zyban or Chantix. 

“Why not give our class a try?” Peck said. “It doesn’t matter how long you have been using, there are health benefits to quitting.”  

Any Garrett County resident may participate in this class, and other classes will be scheduled throughout the year. 

“Group sessions are very beneficial, but for those who just aren’t able to attend a group, we can arrange individual sessions when necessary,” Peck said.

Call the Garrett County Health Department at 301-334-7730, 301-895-3111, or email [email protected] for additional information or to register for the class. Pre-registration is encouraged. Or, visit the Health Department’s KickingTobacco.com website. You can also call the Maryland Quit Line at 1-800-QUIT-NOW for ongoing help.