If you use tobacco and have tried to quit—whether you smoke, chew, snuff or vape—you know it’s not easy, whether you’ve been using tobacco for five years or 25. But you can do it, with a bit of time and a plan that suits your needs.
Maine’s adult smoking rate is higher than the national average and is the highest of the Northeast states. Nearly 1 in 6 (15.6%) Maine adults smoke cigarettes, compared to 14.4% of adults nationwide, according to Maine’s Tobacco Prevention and Control Advisory Council.
About 2,400 adults in Maine die each year from conditions caused by their own smoking—including more than 33.6% of cancer deaths in Maine attributed to smoking.
The great thing about quitting is that you begin to get better at once and within just 24 hours without a cigarette, you’ll be at a lower risk of a heart attack and within 48 hours, you’ll notice that you’re better able to taste and smell food.
Here are a few tips to help you get started on a plan:
If you are a Community Health Options Member, we’ll have your back. You have coverage with no out-of-pocket costs for things like nicotine replacement products or any FDA-approved medications to quit tobacco use when they’re prescribed by a network provider. That coverage includes generic nicotine replacement therapy, like gum, patches or lozenges. Community Health Options also covers a 90-day supply of Chantix, a smoking cessation medicine, if your provider decides you need it to get started. Health plans also offer tobacco cessation education and counseling. And if you have access to the Community Health Options digital wellness platform offered through WellRight®, you may also have access to unlimited health coaching. Check your plan for specific details.
Community Health Options Members: Check the Health & Wellness Tab in your Member portal for information about. If you have questions, call our Maine-based Member Services team at (855) 624-6463 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.
You can learn more about tobacco cessation at Healthwise, a nonprofit service Community Health Options offers with unbiased, evidence-based and research-driven answers to your questions. You can also find information about a range of health issues, check symptoms and search tons of topics to support your health.
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Maine's newest free outdoor gym is opening at the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF). This is the third Fitness Court® in Maine, thanks to a partnership between Community Health Options and National Fitness Campaign (NFC).
UMF will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony from noon to 2 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 6. at 131 Perkins St., open to students, faculty and staff, and the public.