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 2024 starts on Tuesday, January 9^th at 5:30 pm in the conference room at the Health Department’s Oakland office and the second one begins at the Friendsville Senior Center on Thursday, January 11^th at 2 pm. 

“We are here to help you,” said newly trained tobacco treatment specialist, Chelsie Dever at the Health Department. “The Quit Now classes 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.”

Each class meets for four weeks followed by two more weeks of phone support from the Tobacco Treatment Specialist. Funded by a grant from the Maryland Cigarette Restitution Fund Program, the Quit Now program covers the cost of cessation aids in the form of nicotine patches, nicotine gum or lozenges, or one of the prescription drugs, Zyban or Chantix. 

In the words of a former class participant, “It helped me to go through the class. The Chantix also helped. I felt better when I quit smoking.”

Any Garrett County resident may participate in these classes. Contact the Garrett County Health Department at 301-334-7730, 301-895-3111, or visit the Health Department’s KickingTobacco.com website to sign up online.