BOISE, Idaho — Idaho teens who want to quit tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes and vapes, now have a new program to help them on their quit journey. The Department of Health and Welfare and Project Filter are teaming up for an enhanced tobacco cessation program for teens called My Life, My Quit.
The new program includes educational materials designed for teens and created through focus groups with teens, subject matter experts and community stakeholders. Teens can text or call a toll-free number (1-855-891-9989) dedicated for teens, or they can visit the My Life, My Quit website for real-time coaching. Through the program, teens work with a coach who listens and understands their unique needs, provides personalized support, and helps them build a quit plan to become free from nicotine.
“There aren’t many quit resources available to the nearly 5 million teens across the United States who are vaping and using tobacco. Their quit experience is very different from the adult experience,” said Elizabeth Hoyt, Project Filter program manager. “In Idaho, 41 percent of high school students have used e-cigarettes at least once, and there has been a surge in tobacco violations in schools across Idaho. We are so pleased to be able to offer this much-needed help.”
My Life, My Quit provides youth access to tailored resources for quitting, including:
- Free and confidential help from a quit coach specially trained to listen to teens, help them navigate social situations that involve tobacco or vaping, and find healthy ways to cope with stress.
- Teen-focused messages in promotional and educational materials – created with youth input – that encourage teens to quit vaping or using tobacco.
- Five coaching sessions via live text messaging or by phone on a dedicated toll-free number (1-855-891-9989) or online chat.
- Simplified online and mobile program registration to get teens to a coach quicker.
- Dedicated teen website with online enrollment, live chat with a coach, information about vaping and tobacco, and activities to support quitting and stress relief.
- Ongoing text messages for encouragement throughout the quit process.
- Certificate of program completion.
The My Life, My Quit program is supported by Project Filter, Idaho’s Tobacco Prevention and Control Program, and the nation’s largest non-profit tobacco quitline provider National Jewish Health. Project Filter works to educate the public about the resources available to help individuals quit using tobacco.
If you or someone you know is ready to quit using tobacco products, free help is available by visiting: 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669) and here. If you or someone you know uses e-cigarette products and experiences symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, fatigue, fever, or weight loss, seek medical care immediately.
