Best Ways to Quit Smoking: Try Our Free Program

Find out if you qualify for our free smoking cessation program, how it can help you quit for good, what it includes and more.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve never tried to quit smoking before or if you’ve tried too many times to count, Ochsner’s smoking cessation program can help you quit for good.

As a certified tobacco treatment specialist, I’ve seen firsthand how the program changes people’s lives. Some start eating healthier, lose weight or even treat themselves to vacations with the money they’ve saved from quitting. That’s because the program allows you to imagine a healthier future for yourself, and if that’s something you’re looking for, here’s what you need to know about it.

What Does the Program Include?

The smoking cessation program is for anyone looking to quit smoking or vaping. It combines:

• counseling 

• medications to create a personalized treatment plan

Experts say this combination is the best way to quit smoking.

On your first visit, you’ll meet one-on-one with a certified tobacco treatment specialist (either in-person or virtually) to discuss your medical history, current medications, history of tobacco use and your cessation medication options. But what you won’t get is a lecture or judgment. You’ll get information and access to resources that can help you quit and stay quit.

Who Qualifies?

To qualify for the program, you need to be:

• A resident of Louisiana or Mississippi
• 18 or older
• Ready to quit smoking or vaping

How Long Is the Program?

It runs six weeks, but you can sign up for additional time as needed. After the initial visit, you’ll have follow-up appointments either in-person, virtually or over the phone to discuss your progress and any challenges you’re facing and get the support you need to stay the course.

Do I Have to Quit Smoking on Day One?

No. We understand this is a process. You didn’t start smoking yesterday, so we don’t expect you to quit in one day. In fact, at the end of the first visit, I often tell people to smoke like they usually would. Once the medication starts working and you begin to use the strategies we teach in the follow-up sessions, you’re going to start cutting back and not even realize it.

The benefits of quitting

When you quit smoking, your body responds almost immediately. Within minutes, your heart rate and blood pressure decrease. Over time, you’ll experience many more health benefits, including:

• Better lung function
• Improved circulation
• Less coughing and shortness of breath
• Lower risks of heart attack, stroke, diabetes and many types of cancer, including lung cancer

How Can I Be Sure It’s Right for Me?

What do you have to lose? I encourage people to try just one visit and see how they feel. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to come back, but why not take the chance to be a healthier, tobacco-free version of yourself?