• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Health / Medicine / State to end free supply of nicotine patches and gum

State to end free supply of nicotine patches and gum

June 1, 2010 By Matt Kelley

State health officials are warning smokers they have just one more month to receive a free two week supply of nicotine-replacement patches or nicotine gum. The service, part of the Quitline Iowa program since 2008, will end on June 30th. Aaron Swanson is with the Iowa Department of Public Health’s Division of Tobacco Control and Prevention.

“It was a difficult decision, but in light of budget cuts…unfortunately, we had to make the decision to cut that particular aspect of the service,” Swanson said. Around half of the people who’ve called Quitline Iowa over the past two-and-a-half years have requested the nicotine patches or gum.

Sanson says more than 54,000 people have called Quitline since January 2008 and 27,450 have taken advantage of the free offer. Quitline Iowa will continue to offer free counseling services, which have been available since 2001. “People can still call 1-800-QUIT-NOW and receive the same effective counseling services to quit that they always have,” Swanson said.

The service is also available online at www.QuitlineIowa.org. Swanson notes that pharmacies sell two-week supplies of nicotine-replacement products for about $25. He says that’s considerably less than the cost of just one week’s supply of cigarettes to a pack-a-day smoker.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Health / Medicine, Politics / Govt Tagged With: Tobacco

Featured Stories

Finalists chosen for the state’s top burger

Paintings by Clinton woman gain a following in Europe

Iowa deadline for individual income taxpayers moved to June 1

Dialing rules changing for two area codes in Iowa

Assistance available for low income Iowans with overdue rent, utility bills

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Cedar Rapids preparing for big return of sports events

Iowa Games returning with full slate of sports

Iowa’s Garza sweeps national awards

Iowa’s Garza claims three national awards

Iowa’s Jack Nunge to transfer

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC