Guest Column: Quit Smoking Valentine's Day MessageBy Joyce Brewer, Guest Column
02:00PM / Tuesday, February 06, 2024 | |
If you are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant this Valentine's Day, consider taking the first step toward quitting smoking, vaping or using other tobacco.
1-800-QUIT-NOW has a special incentive for you — pregnant Massachusetts residents can receive up to $65 on a Mastercard gift card when they participate in its free coaching services. In the program for pregnant people, you can receive up to nine coaching calls with the same quit coach as well as text messages, email support and materials.
When you quit, your body becomes safer and healthier for your developing baby's brain and lungs, and what a gift that is. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit mass.gov/quitting for support.
The Massachusetts Quitline for tobacco/nicotine, 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669), is available for free coaching 24 hours each day, seven days a week (except Thanksgiving and Christmas) to support you through quitting. No lectures. No judgments. Just support. You can connect with the Quitline online, too, at mass.gov/quitting.
Pregnant or not, when you talk with a quit coach, they help you develop a quit plan that works for you, identify triggers, plan out your day without nicotine and manage withdrawals. 1-800-QUIT-NOW has a dedicated Spanish line (1-855-DÉJELO-YA) and interpreter services available for 200 other languages so language doesn't need to be a barrier to getting support.
Take the first step toward a nicotine-free life this Valentine's Day and call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) for help quitting for good. No lectures. No judgments. Just support.
To help you on your quit journey during pregnancy and for more information, the Tobacco-Free Community Partnership Program at Berkshire Area Health Education Center is holding a communitywide baby shower (Berkshire Baby Bonanza) on April 6 at the Stationery Factory in Dalton from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event is free to the public.
Local agencies and vendors will be on hand to answer questions about pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, baby safety and family planning. Gift bags will be given to the first 250 families. Please join us for fun, games, and raffles. Win door prizes by visiting information booths and attending educational sessions. For more information contact Joyce Brewer at jbrewer@berkshireahec.org.
For more information on quitting, visit mass.gov/quitting or contact the Berkshire Tobacco-Free Community Partnership's Program Director Joyce Brewer at jbrewer@berkshireahec.org. Take the first step of your journey to quit for good this Valentine's Day.
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