How To Quit Tobacco and Nicotine

The Colorado Quitline offers free, confidential support for people who want to quit smoking, vaping, or using other tobacco and nicotine products. Services include coaching, personalized quit plans, text support, and access to nicotine replacement therapy, like the nicotine patch or lozenge, for eligible participants. Receive a $10 gift card after your first counseling call to a Quitline coach, $15 after the 2nd conversation, and $25 for each of the next 3 calls, totaling $100. To connect with the Colorado Quitline, call 1-800-Quit-Now (1-800-784-8669) or visit ColoradoQuits.com to learn more.

The Strong Start Colorado Program (formerly Baby & Me Tobacco Free) supports pregnant individuals or those who have delivered a baby within the last year who use tobacco, marijuana, or both. Participants receive free counseling, encouragement, and gift cards after telephone conversations (up to a maximum of $500). To learn more or enroll, visit Strong Start Colorado.

Download a free self-help book, Breathe Easy Colorado, about making a plan to quit smoking using evidence-based strategies in English or Spanish at www.bhwellness.org/breathe-easy-guides/.

1-855-QUIT-VET (1-855-784-8838), the VA’s free telephone quitline offers tobacco cessation counseling to any Veteran who receives their health care through VA. Quit VET is staffed by trained quit coaches who will help you during any phase of quitting⁠.

My Life, My Quit is free quit program designed specifically for teens 12-17 who want to stop vaping, smoking, or using other nicotine products. The program offers confidential coaching by phone or text, helpful tools, and personalized support created for young people at their own page. Get started by texting “START” to 36072.

The Truth Initiative Ex Program is a free, anonymous text messaging program that provides evidence-based support for quitting smoking, vaping, and nicotine use. Through text messaging, digital tools, and personalized quit plans, the program helps individuals build healthier habits and stay tobacco-free. To join, visit the Ex Program website or text “DITCHVAPE” to 88709.If you are a parent of a young person seeking support for your youth, you can text QUIT to (202) 899-7550.

Not-On-Tobacco (N-O-T) Program from the American Lung Association is a free, evidence-based tobacco cessation program designed specifically for teens who want to quit vaping, smoking, or using other nicotine products. Through group support and guided sessions, participants learn practical skills to manage stress, set goals, and build healthier coping strategies. N-O-T provides a supportive environment to help teens take control of their health and work toward a tobacco-free future.

SmokeFree Teen is a free online resource from the National Cancer Institute that helps teens quit vaping, smoking, and other tobacco products. It offers practical tips, quit plans, and tools like texting support and games to help young people stay motivated and build healthier habits.  

Ask-Advise-Refer

Ask, Advise, Refer is a brief tobacco cessation intervention designed for healthcare providers to help patients quit smoking, vaping, or using other nicotine products. Providers are trained to consistently ask about tobacco and nicotine use, advise patients to quit in a clear and supportive way, and refer them to evidence-based resources such as The Colorado QuitLine and offer to write a prescription for FDA-approved medications like bupropion and varenicline. 

This simple, evidence-based approach helps connect patients to effective support and increase the likelihood of successfully quitting, even when time in clinical settings is limited.

Combining Behavior Change Therapy and Quit-Nic Medications

Combining behavioral counseling from The Colorado QuitLine with 1-3 quit-smoking medications can increase quit success rates from about 5% to nearly 30%. The Colorado QuitLine provides free, evidence-based coaching and can mail nicotine replacement products like patches, gum, or lozenges to eligible participants.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend using more than one quit medication when appropriate, as this can improve effectiveness. Providers may also consider prescribing non-nicotine options such as varenicline (formerly Chantix) or bupropion SR (Zyban), typically started 1-2 weeks before a planned quit date. 

Ways to Support Patients

• Have patients self-refer by calling the CO QuitLine at 1-800-Quit-Now (784-8669)
• If the patient has consented, send a referral on their behalf (see below). Oftentimes, referrals from a provider increase a patient’s likelihood of connecting with a cessation coach.
• If you’re a prescribing provider, consider becoming a Tobacco Treatment Specialist (TTS) or complete a Dimensions Nicotine Cessation workshop sponsored by WCTEPP.

For information on completing a TTS or Dimension training, contact Heather Mortenson at Hmortenson@weld.gov.

Referral Process for Healthcare Providers:

Referring to the Colorado QuitLine (various methods)

1. Obtain patient consent in accordance with your organization’s policies and procedures.
2. You can submit an E-Referral through your organization’s electronic health record (EHR) system if available.
   • OR submit a referral via the Provider Referral Portal
   • OR fax the referral form to 1-800-261-6259

Please note: If the patient is pregnant, has uncontrolled high blood pressure, or has heart disease, and you agree to the QuitLine providing nicotine replacement therapy, a faxed referral form will be required with your signature. Advise patients that The Colorado QuitLine will call within 2 days and your phone may list the caller as spam. 

Referring Pregnant Individuals to Strong Start Colorado ® (formerly Baby & Me Tobacco-Free):

1. Obtain patient consent in accordance with your organization’s policies and procedures.
2. Refer patients electronically through the external referral form.

Referring Patients 12 to 17 years old to My Life, My Quit Program

My Life, My Quit is designed as a texting platform for youth seeking quit support. Active referrals from providers are often more effective than providing the phone number for youth to enroll themselves. If a youth wishes to enroll themselves, they can text “START” to 36072. If you are a provider submitting a referral on the youth’s behalf, complete the referral.

If you would like to learn more about The CO QuitLine Counseling, the 7 FDA-Approved nicotine cessation medications, the newest nicotine and tobacco products sold on the market, or to schedule a training or education workshop for your healthcare organization, contact Heather Mortenson, MSPH, TTS at HMortenson@weld.gov or call 970-400-2423. 

Dave | Thornton, CO

Listen to Dave share his personal journey of quitting smoking after the birth of his son. He reflects on how smoking once felt “mystical” and almost magical during his childhood, and how becoming a parent shifted his perspective. Now, Dave is committed to breaking that cycle and creating a healthier environment for his son, showing how life changes can inspire powerful steps toward quitting tobacco for good.

Thom | Greeley, CO

Hear how Thom opens up about his many attempts to quit smoking and the challenges he faced along the way. After several setbacks he finally found lasting success when he made the decision to prioritize his health and well-being. His story highlights that quitting isn’t always linear but with persistence and the right mindset, it is possible to make quitting stick.

Nicotine does affect appetite and metabolism, but not in a helpful way. While it may temporarily suppress appetite and slightly increase metabolism creating the impression is helps with weight control, it does not support healthier eating habits. In fact, research shows that people who use tobacco are more likely to choose foods high in fat and sugar and miss out on nutrient-rich options like fruits and vegetables.

The good news is that this pattern can be reversed and the benefits are significant. Pairing quitting with balanced, nutritious eating supports more than weight management, it helps restore the body, improve heart health, and strengthen overall well-being.

Heart of Weld: Healthy Plate Program

The Weld County Tobacco Education and Prevention Program is excited to partner with the Heart of Weld: Healthy Plate Program. As part of a holistic approach, this partnership is designed to support individuals who want to quit smoking or vaping and improve their overall well-being by learning how to shop and prepare healthy meals through hands-on, in-person classes, interactive grocery store tours, online learning, and mobile pop-up sessions.

Sign up for a Healthy Plate class or view their schedule

Despite their name, disposable vapes are not truly disposable. Vape components including lithium-ion batteries, plastic, and liquid nicotine can pose serious safety and environmental risks when improperly discarded. These hazards include battery fires, nicotine leaching into soil, and the breakdown of plastics into microplastics.

To help protect our communities and environment, many Colorado counties, including Weld County, are working to promote safe vape disposal. Residents can dispose of vapes at one of Weld County’s two Household Hazardous Waste facilities. Visit their website for disposal guidelines, accepted materials, and additional information: https://www.weld.gov/Government/Departments/Health-and-Environment/Environmental-Health-Services/Household-Hazardous-Waste-Disposal