North Carolina is in the race to quit smoking

For Pam Seamans, executive director of the NC Alliance for Health, it is crucial that the average North Carolinian knows the resources available to them if they decide to quit smoking. 

“We are trying to make it very clear to folks who need help that there are resources available to them, that they are not alone in this process, and that the most successful efforts in quitting include a lot of support,” Seamans said.

The North Carolina Alliance for Health teamed up with over 50 state and local partners to sponsor the Race to Quit, N.C. campaign, to spread awareness about the resources and support available for smokers looking to quit.

The campaign included a host of events discussing the importance of quitting smoking and announcing the presence of several avenues where smokers can find assistance and care to facilitate their quitting. Each one of the partners involved in the campaign will be able to channel those smokers wanting to quit towards the services and resources they require. 

“We have to be cognizant that tobacco has been a huge part of our economy for years, but one of the issues in this state is that we have high rates of smoking,” said Dr. James Davis, medical director at the Duke Center for Smoking Cessation. 

But as the smoking rate in the U.S. falls, the number in North Carolina has not dropped as quickly, he added. 

“Ten years ago, we thought nicotine patches and a pep talk was the standard of care,” Davis said. 

However, resources and treatment methods have significantly advanced in the previous decade, he added. 

Among the resources available, smokers looking to quit have several options. In addition to using the telephone-based smoking cessation service Quitline N.C., smokers can also sit down with medical providers who provide counseling, discuss relapse experiences or suggest specific medical treatments tailored to individuals’ needs. 

The partners in the campaign include a collection of health orientated organizations, patient and provider groups, non-profit organizations and state and local agencies, who can direct smokers wanting to quit towards the appropriate resources and avenues. Smokers can also find resources and information about partners on the Alliance for Health website. 

However, while campaigns like this could be helpful for smokers trying to quit, smokers have to first take the initiative to start, said Kerry Foerst, a junior at UNC. 

“If someone is really addicted to smoking and they want to quit, they’re going to have to be in a place in their life where they can go through the stress of withdrawal,” Foerst said.

Davis added that ultimately, it is the smoker who has to first decide that they want to quit, and only then will the available resources be helpful.

“We can give smokers really terrific tools that were not available in the past, but that being said, it really still lies on their shoulders to decide to quit,” Davis said. “They are the ones who really need to take responsibility for getting through this.”

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