“Physicians, nurse practitioners, dentists, and nurses are in a unique position to help patients who are ready to quit tobacco use,” said Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director, Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks. “I am happy to see so many health care providers opening up this dialog with their patients and offering assistance through 1-800-QUIT-NOW.”

According IDPH, 3,062 referrals were faxed to Quitline Iowa from July to November in 2011, compared with 1,818 during the same 5-month period last year. When a fax referral arrives, Quitline Iowa staff follow up with the patient to ask whether they are ready to take advantage free services, which include counseling and text messaging options.

“Most of the people I speak to have never heard of Quitline Iowa so they’re thrilled to find out about the free services,” said Katie Todd, an advanced registered nurse practitioner at Knoxville Hospital and Clinics. “Those on Medicaid appreciate the free medication and everyone can benefit from speaking with a counselor. When you’re trying to quit smoking, it’s helpful to have someone provide you with ideas on how to cope with the difficult process of giving up tobacco.”

When Iowans call Quitline Iowa (1-800-QUIT-NOW), counselors help them understand the underlying reasons for smoking and how to break the cycle of addiction that makes it so difficult to quit. Together, these insights can more than double one’s chances of successfully quitting tobacco use.

Quitline Iowa is available for free to all Iowa adults who want to quit tobacco use. For more information, call 1-800-784-8669 (1-800-QUIT-NOW) or visitwww.quitlineiowa.org.