USBA Blog: Military Smokers: Get help quitting

Military Smokers: Get help quitting

6/1/2015

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Help with quitting smoking for military

Tobacco use is taking an enormous toll on the health and physical fitness of active duty U.S. military and veterans. About 1 in 4 people in the military smoke compared with 1 in 5 in the general population.

If you’re a TRICARE beneficiary ready to enjoy a healthier smoke-free lifestyle, there’s a free program to help you quit smoking. It’s the Freedom Smoking Quitline.

Many smokers in the military want to quit smoking, but fail when they try on their own because of nicotine’s addictive power. This program has your back. If selected for participation, you’ll receive 8 weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) mailed to your home, plus 4 private telephone counseling sessions with your own smoking cessation counselor. If you’re still smoking after 3 months, you’ll be eligible for additional counseling and free nicotine patches or gum.

Those eligible to apply to participate include active duty and retirees of the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines, as well as their dependents. Learn more about participation requirements and how to apply.

The use of tobacco affects military readiness, as well as the health of both smokers and non-smokers. It’s also a significant financial burden on the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare systems. Do your part and quit. The Freedom Smoking Quitline is a research study funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health and is co-sponsored by the U.S. Air Force and University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

 

USBA is a not-for-profit Association that provides group life insurance, health insurance supplements, and other products and services to military personnel, Federal employees, National Guard and Reserve members, Veterans and their families.

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