Decided to Quit Smoking? We Have Resources to Guide You
Dr. Duane DiFranco
| 2 min read
Making the decision to finally quit smoking is no easy feat – but neither is sticking to it forever. If you’re just getting started, hitting a rough spot in your journey, or ready to try quitting again, we have the resources to guide you every step of the way. Here are some of my recommendations for patients, Blue Care Network of Michigan members, and others in Michigan:
- Your primary care physician: He or she will give you advice to quit, provide you with strategies, recommend medications, keep you motivated, and help keep you on track with your health goals.
- Blue Care Network of Michigan’s Quit Guide: Open this guide for strategies to help you quit, medication recommendations and more.
- Doctor’s Advice: While you can also seek advice and help from your doctor, I have some quitting tips of my own to share with you in this short video.
- In-person, 12-step meetings: Search for meetings near you at nicotine-anonymous.org, a non-profit 12-step fellowship of men and women helping each other live nicotine-free lives.
- Call for Help:
- The Michigan Tobacco Quitline: Their mission is to reduce and eliminate tobacco-related deaths and diseases in Michigan through leadership, collaboration and education. Call 1-800-784-8669 whenever you feel you need more support.
- American Cancer Society: Receive A Guide to Quitting Smoking by calling 1-800-ACS-2345 (1-800-227-2345).
- National Cancer Institute: Call 1-877-44U-QUIT (1-877-448-7848) to speak with a counselor for help quitting and answers to smoking-related questions.
- Nicotine Anonymous: Call 1-877-879-6422 to participate in a telephone support meeting.
- Tobacco Cessation Coaching, powered by WebMD®: This telephone-based program includes five calls from a health coach over a 12-week period and unlimited access to call your health coach anytime if you need additional support. To get started, call 1-855-326-5102. (This program is only available to Blue Care Network members for no extra cost. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan members should call Customer Service to see if it’s available through their plan.) WebMD Health Services is an independent company supporting Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network by providing health and wellness services.
Photo credit: Michael Patterson