North Dakota-Make it Your Time to Quit Tobacco

June 11-17 is Quit Week. You are not alone in trying to quit. Nearly 70 percent of people who smoke want to quit. Tobacco dependence is a chronic, relapsing condition driven by addiction to nicotine. Many people start before they're 18.

According to the American Cancer Society, about 34 million American adults still smoke cigarettes, and smoking remains the single largest preventable cause of death and illness in the world. Smoking causes an estimated 480,000 deaths every year, or about 1 in 5 deaths.

Tobacco users in North Dakota are being urged to designate June 11–17 as their personal week of being tobacco-free in 2023 as part of the state's fourth consecutive Quit Week campaign.

Those who use commercial tobacco are more likely to stop using it successfully when helped, whether through coaching or the use of medication. To significantly increase a user's chances of success, NDQuits can assist in creating a quit plan and offer tools. Quit plans teach smokers how to control urges and alter habits to avoid triggers so they can stop using tobacco products and keep it up.

NDQuits has a high success rate and annually assists more than 3,000 residents of North Dakota. For residents of North Dakota looking for help quitting smoking or using smokeless tobacco products like vapes or electronic cigarettes, they are the best resource. Over one third of former tobacco users they assist are still tobacco-free seven months after completing an NDQuits program.

The goal is to reduce disease, disability and death related to tobacco use by:

• Preventing initiation among youth and young adults.
• Promoting quitting among adults and youth.
• Eliminating exposure to secondhand smoke.
• Identifying and eliminating tobacco-related disparities among specific population groups.

Quitting smoking isn’t easy. It takes time. And a plan. You don’t have to stop smoking in one day. Start with day one. You’ll be taking an important step toward a healthier life and reducing your cancer risk.

Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or go to https://www.hhs.nd.gov/ndquits for more free resources to help you quit.