The New York State Smokers’ Quitline is a free, telephone-based counseling program for smokers who want to quit. Based at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, the NYS Quitline is a proactive quitline. Proactive quitlines not only “react” with counseling when a smoker calls in, but also provide an “outbound” service through a number of follow-up calls to the client. Smokers can be self referred or referred by a provider through a fax-referral system.

An automated menu system answers the call and says...

1. Talk one-on-one to a quitline specialist
     (available 9am–9pm weekdays, 9am–1pm weekends)
2. Get general information by mail
3. Listen to pre-recorded messages about different stop smoking topics
4. Listen to the stop smoking "Tip of the day."

Effectiveness of Telephone Counseling and Support to Help More Tobacco Users Quit
From the Guide to Community Preventive Services

A systematic review of published studies, conducted on behalf of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services by a team of experts, found that providing counseling and support to patients by telephone, when included as one component of a multicomponent strategy to help smokers quit, is effective in increasing the number of smokers who succeed. Based on this review, the Task Force recommends that this strategy be implemented on the basis of strong evidence of effectiveness.

Quitlines Are Effective in Helping Tobacco Users Quit
From The Role of Quitlines in Comprehensive TobaccoControl Programs (CDC)

Several meta-analytic reviews have established that proactive telephone counseling is an effective intervention for smoking cessation (Lichtenstein et al. 1996, Fiore et al. 2000, Hopkins et al. 2001, Stead et al. 2004). The current U.S. Public Health Clinical Practice Guideline and the Guide to Community Preventive Services both recommend proactive telephone counseling as a method to help smokers quit (Fiore et al. 2000, Hopkins et al. 2001).

Nicotine replacements are an important part of many peoples' quit plans. These include the patch, chewing gum, and lozenges among other formats.

Nicotine replacements do not cause cancer and they are not addictive. They are designed to take the edge off the process of quitting and ease you away from smoking. In most cases they can be purchased without a prescription. (A doctor's prescription is required for Medicaid reimbursement.)

Be sure to speak to a Quitline specialist about nicotine replacements.
At certain times the Quitline can send a 2-week starter supply of nicotine patches free of charge to eligible smokers who are ready to quit.

Alcohol and Drug Council of Tompkins County
The core purpose of the Alcohol and Drug Council of Tompkins County is to assist the community in dealing with substance use and misuse, from prevention to recovery. We help individuals and families live healthier lives, and assist those embarking on recovery to begin a new life.

Cessation Counselor Certification Program (pdf, 165K)