There’s No Better Time to Quit
Up to Three Months of Free Nicotine Gum!

By Annette Pinder


New York State Smokers’ Quitline (Quitline) is offering up to three months of free nicotine gum, while supplies last, to Western New Yorkers who want to quit smoking. The program is available to nearly everyone who applies through a generous donation from Ro (https://ro.co), a U.S. telehealth company headquartered in Manhattan, whose mission centers around providing access to affordable, high-quality healthcare, and helping thousands of New Yorkers quit smoking and lead healthier lives.

Nicotine gum is an FDA-approved nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) used to treat nicotine dependence and increase a person’s success in quitting by helping them eliminate short-term cravings of cigarettes. Each piece lasts 20 to 30 minutes and, unlike traditional chewing gum, works when chewed only a few times, and then is held along the inside of the mouth by the cheek. When combined with a longer-term NRT, such as the nicotine patch, the odds of a smoker quitting successfully doubles.

Paula Celestino, Quitline’s director of client relations and outreach, based at Roswell Park Comprehensive Care Center, hopes to spread the word about the program to individuals and health providers, saying, “We know most tobacco users want to quit.” 

Program participants receive the gum, self-help materials, and coaching from specially trained coaches available seven days a week beginning at 9 am. Coaches work with all traditional tobacco and vape-product users, and develop personalized quit-plans to address the behavioral and psychological aspects of nicotine dependence.

Individuals wishing to take advantage of the program should call 1-866-NY-QUITS (1-800-697-8487) or visit www.nysmokefree.com. Health providers wishing to refer patients to the program as a supplement to visits and follow-ups with the nicotine-dependent patients can do so at https://nysmokefree.com/HealthcareProviders/ReferralPrograms