State Offers Tobacco Quit Line
05/01/01
MADISON, 4:55 p.m. CDT May 1, 2001 -- A new plan aimed at helping more people quit smoking will offer counseling over a telephone line to people who are addicted.
The goal is to reduce smoking in Wisconsin by at least 20 percent by 2005.
When you call, you get a cessation counselor. That person will help you develop a plan to quit. They'll stick with you, advise you on what medications might help, and otherwise just be there for support, among other things.
There are nearly 1 million people in the state of Wisconsin right now who smoke. That's one out of every four, according to Eye on Health reporter Carleen Wild.
What the experts are hearing is that most people want to quit. In fact, 500,000 people tried quitting last year, Wild said. Only 5 percent succeeded.
The new toll-free quit line is in place to help.
"It will offer you support like you've probably never gotten," Wild said.