The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is rolling out a free service for teens who want to quit smoking. “My Life, My Quit” is focused on all forms of smoking, including cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, vape products, and smokeless tobacco.
Abby Newland, a tobacco prevention specialist, said that there is a need for resources at the local level.
“In 2021, you know, self-reported 40% of high school students were trying, had said they tried e-cigarettes,” she told Missourinet. “But, on the offside of that, 50% said that they tried to quit in the past year. So, that really tells us a lot.”
Teens between the ages of 13 and 17 who enroll in the program will receive confidential and personalized support from a trained quit coach who helps them build a plan to get clean from nicotine.
Newland said that Missouri has one of the highest national smoking rates.
“Yes, people do things even if they know they’re not good for them, even if things are legal, they might not be the best for you,” said Newland. “But, in the sense of tobacco and vaping and those kinds of products, people, at some point, 50%, right, want to quit at some point or have the thoughts of maybe I should quit. So, that’s good.”
Newland explained that vaping is the “next page” in Big Tobacco’s playbook.
“When you really lay it all out, you know, it is a big health concern,” she said. “Tobacco is one of the leading causes of preventable disease, disability, and death in Missouri, and has been for many, many years. It kind of gets kicked to the back burner sometimes because it is socially acceptable. You can buy it at a lot of different places.”
The program provides coaching sessions over text, live chat or phone. Teens earn incentive items along their journey and receive a completion certificate. It also includes resources and information for guardians, educators and health professionals.
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