Nicotine is one of the most powerfully addicting drugs, and ending a dependence on it is difficult, but IT CAN BE DONE! Thousands have quit using tobacco products. Research shows the best success is achieved by those enrolled in a formal program.
Becoming an ex-tobacco user is a process, not a single act, and involves a serious effort and a plan to cope with the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal and life without tobacco.
NDSU Wallman Wellness Education offers a Tobacco Cessation program, in cooperation with the Fargo Cass Public Health "Break Away from Nicotine" (BAN) program, to students, faculty and staff who want to quit using tobacco products. All sessions are free, however the cost of nicotine replacement products are not included and will vary depending on products chosen and length of time used.
Determine your level of tobacco dependency. Take the Tobacco Dependency Quiz here.
Here's How it Works:
1. Consultation Appointment: To begin, you need to schedule an appointment for a consultation with a registered nurse. You will fill out a patient questionnaire and we will discuss your level of dependence, your readiness to quit, and what you need to help you quit. You will be given information on what to expect from following sessions.
2. Treatment Planning Session: If you decide to continue, we will meet again to plan your treatment program based on your individual needs. You will learn about nicotine as a drug of addiction, nicotine replacement products and other medications available to help you, and coping with withdrawal symptoms. Together, we will set a quit date and consult with your primary care physician.
3. Education/Support: We will set up appointments for education/support sessions to help you learn ways to cope with a tobacco-free lifestyle, deal with road blocks to recovery, and prevent relapse. These sessions will include managing stress, avoiding weight gain and substituting healthy alternatives to tobacco use. We will also identify your support systems and discuss how they can help you. There are three sessions and we will focus on what you find most helpful.
4. Follow-up: Additional meetings or phone contacts will be offered for longer-term support and follow-up will continue at two weeks, one month, three months, six months and one year. Additional support will be provided based on need and preference.
For a consultation or more information on the Tobacco Cessation Program at NDSU, please send an email to NDSU.Wellness@ndsu.nodak.edu (please include name and phone number) or call the Student Health Service at 701-231-7331.
North Dakota has a free telephone "Quitline" to help you quit using tobacco. By calling this number, North Dakotans can talk with professional counselors from either the University of North Dakota or the Mayo Clinic Tobacco Quitline in Rochester, MN. Counselors will discuss with you your readiness to quit tobacco use; smoking, dipping or chewing. The North Dakota Tobacco Quitline is a North Dakota Department of Health, Division of Tobacco Prevention and Control program.
The Quitline number is 1-866-388-QUIT (1-866-388-7848).
The Mayo Clinic Quitline receives clinical oversight, research data and consultative support from the staff of the Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center, which has one of the highest published success rates in the nation. More than 30% of members who have used the service report they are tobacco free six months after enrollment, compared to a national success rate of 10 to 15 percent for other quitlines.
Level of Dependence
To determine your need for nicotine replacement products, take the nicotine dependence quiz. Research shows the more physical dependence a person has on nicotine, the greater the need for nicotine replacement while quitting. Keep track of your points and compare to the scale at the end of the quiz.