November 18, 2021
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of MaineCare Services is observing the 2021 American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout® by highlighting two new initiatives that are making tobacco cessation programs more accessible than ever for Mainers who want to quit using cigarettes, or other tobacco and vaping products. Tobacco use is still the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States.
The Maine QuitLink/1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669), formerly known as the Maine Tobacco HelpLine, is now easier to use and provides expanded options to help tobacco users quit, including phone coaching, web coaching, and individual support services. A quit coach will work with callers to develop a plan that is personalized for their needs, including qualified interpreters for people whose primary language is not English and services to assist individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. This free, confidential support is available to all Maine residents, regardless of age.
Additionally, MaineCare members can now get free medications to help them quit directly through the QuitLink without visiting a doctor for prior approval.
Tobacco users who receive support from the Maine QuitLink are two to three times more likely to successfully quit tobacco long-term than those who try quitting on their own.