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Nancy Stringer
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UCSD'S CALIFORNIA SMOKERS' HELPLINE OFFERS SERVICES FOR TEENS STATEWIDE
Teens who smoke, but want to quit can now receive help from the California Smokers' Helpline, a free, statewide, telephone-based tobacco cessation program developed by researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Cancer Center and funded through the California Department of Health Services.
The Helpline teen service, designed for 14- to 17-year-old tobacco users, offers several options to help with quitting, including counseling in English or Spanish by cessation counselors, motivational self-help materials, and referrals to local cessation resources.
"The teen service is based on our success with the adult California Smokers' Helpline. We developed this program because teen smoking is on the rise, and few cessation programs are designed to meet this age group's developmental needs for a successful quit," said Sharon Cummings, research coordinator for the Helpline.
Cummings also noted that much of the work with teen smoking to date has been aimed at preventing teens from starting. Many adolescents, however, have already become daily smokers, and to successfully quit they need support tailored to their age.
"Our research with 1,500 teens has shown that about 70 percent of those who receive our counseling make a serious attempt to quit, a higher proportion than for adults," said Cummings. "More than a quarter of those teens are still not smoking at three months, which is a positive indicator of their chances of remaining smoke-free long-term."
Research also shows that seven out of 10 high school seniors who smoke say they wish they'd never started, yet more than 80 percent of teens who smoked one-half pack per day as high school seniors are still smoking five years later. As adults, most of them will be smoking more than they did in high school.
"Without intervention, these teens are very likely to become long-term smokers, risking their own health and the health of their loved ones through second-hand smoke," said Cummings.
Since its inception at UCSD Cancer Center in 1992, the California Smokers' Helpline has provided services to more than 80,000 people statewide. In randomized studies, 27 percent of those who received counseling remain smoke-free at 12 months--double the success rate of self-help materials and similar to more intensive conventional programs.
"The American Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout on November 19 is a great opportunity for teens from throughout the state to take advantage of this free service," Cummings said.
Teens who would like further information should call 1-800-7-NO BUTTs (English), or 1-800-45-NO FUME (Spanish). For assistance with cessation from chewing tobacco, call
1-800-844-CHEW.
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