Support Available for Those Looking to Start New Year Tobacco-Free

BUFFALO, NY — There are close to 3 million smokers in New York State, and about three-quarters of them say they want to quit. A new advertising campaign will remind New Yorkers about the risks of smoking and the free, 24/7 services that can help them keep a resolution to quit tobacco for good.

The campaign consists of two television commercials that will air throughout January. The ads, Doesn’t Kill and Emphysema, show the physical damage cigarettes can cause to people who smoke. Local New Voice Club members who have had their voice box removed as a result of smoking are living examples of the impacts highlighted in the ads. “It’s very depressing to live like this,” says Joe Corbi, one of three New Voice Club members featured in companion videos. “It’s changed my life financially and emotionally, and has affected my family.”

The ads also direct smokers to the services available through the New York State Smokers’ Quitline (1-866-NY-QUITS). The Quitline, based at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI), provides free quit coaching and nicotine patches to New York residents who want to stop smoking or using tobacco. The spots, along with companion videos featuring interviews with New Voice Club members who offer smokers quit advice and encouragement and share their experience of losing their ability to speak as a result of past tobacco use, can be viewed at the Quitline website: http://www.nysmokefree.com/Subpage.aspx?P=50&P1=5030.

“So many tobacco users are ready to quit and finally overcome their nicotine addiction at this time of year; support from friends family and the Smokers’ Quitline can make the difference in helping them quit for good,” says Andrew Hyland, PhD, Chair of RPCI’s Department of Health Behavior and Director of the New York State Smokers’ Quitline.

Services available through the Quitline include a free nicotine patch starter kit, quit coaching, self-help materials, motivational messages and daily tips. The Quitline can be reached at 1-866-NY-QUITS (1-866-697-8487) Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. until 9 p.m., and Friday through Sunday, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. (taped messages of support available in off-hours). An online smoke-free community is available 24/7 athttp://www.nysmokefree.org, and additional tips and resources can be found at http://www.facebook.com/NYQuits andhttps://twitter.com/nysmokefree.

The mission of Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) is to understand, prevent and cure cancer. RPCI, founded in 1898, was one of the first cancer centers in the country to be named a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and remains the only facility with this designation in Upstate New York. The Institute is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers; maintains affiliate sites; and is a partner in national and international collaborative programs. For more information, visit RPCI’s website at http://www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or emailaskrpci@roswellpark.org.

Editor’s note: Experts from Roswell Park Cancer Institute and members of the New Voice Club of the Niagara Frontier are available to discuss cessation and the effects of tobacco use. Contact Annie Deck-Miller at 716-845-8593 or annie.deck-miller@roswellpark.org to schedule an interview.