Many people use the beginning of the New Year to make positive changes in their lives. Some people will make resolutions to lose weight, get in shape, save money or quit smoking.

There is never a better time to quit smoking than right now.  You don’t have to do it alone.  The Montgomery County Health Department can help.

Beginning Tuesday, August 28th, the health department will offer the Cooper Clayton Method to Stop Smoking, a 12-week program to help people quit. The support group is facilitated by trained professionals who can offer support and provide tools such as some nicotine replacement therapy products, educational materials and other information. Classes will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 at the health department.

According to Rachel Ragland, a health educator at the health department and a facilitator for the smoking cessation program, nicotine in tobacco is one of the most powerful addictive agents. “There are a lot of people who would like to quit smoking on their own, but it is just too hard. Most people need some type of support, medication or counseling to be successful.” Ragland said that according to data from the Kentucky Department for Public Health, as few as 5 percent of people trying to quit on their own will be successful. Research indicates that 70 percent of smokers want to quit, and 50 percent of those will make at least one attempt each year to quit.

Tobacco use and dependence is the leading preventable cause of death in Kentucky and the nation. Nearly 8,000 Kentuckians die each year because of tobacco-related diseases. Eighty-five percent of all lung cancers are caused by cigarette smoking, and Kentucky leads the nation in lung cancer deaths. Smoking is a major risk factor for the four leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

For those people who cannot attend a support group but would like to quit, Kentucky’s Tobacco Quit Line, 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669) can help.

Kentucky’s Tobacco Quit Line is a statewide telephone service providing free counseling and support for people who want to stop smoking or using other tobacco products. Highly trained cessation specialists answer calls from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday helping smokers develop a quit plan.

The Quit Line offers individual counseling for tobacco users who are ready to quit. After the initial call, smokers may receive up to five scheduled callbacks from their counselor. For smokers considering quitting, the Quit Line staff will provide information about tobacco use and treatment options.

Counselors will provide state and local resources to callers as another option for tobacco cessation. Parental consent is required for callers under 18. Callers to the Quit Line after regular hours can leave a message and a cessation specialist will return their call the next business day.

Quit Line services are available in English and Spanish. TDY/TDD is available at (800) 969-1393. Counseling and materials are provided at no charge to callers.

For employers wanting to help their employees quit, information is available through the Quit Line and the Montgomery County Health Department. Group sessions and cessation materials can be made available at the worksite.

To register for the Cooper-Clayton class at the local health department or for more information about quitting, call Rachel Ragland at 498-3808, Ext. 288.