The tobacco treatment program helped me see how much tobacco ruled my life and that, with the right help, I could do this. And I don’t have to do it alone!
D-H Tobacco Treatment Program user
Tobacco is addictive, but quitting can be easier and more successful with help from the Dartmouth-Hitchcock (D-H) Tobacco Treatment Program. Our judgement-free program is open to anyone who wants freedom from tobacco, including vapes. We are here to help you quit and to provide support and advice to your family and loved ones who want to help you quit.
We are open Monday through Friday, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. To learn more or make an appointment, call 603-650-8537.
Answers to common questions
What is tobacco treatment?
Tobacco treatment is evidence-based professional guidance for people who want to quit using tobacco or cut down. Some of the products that we can help you quit are: cigarettes, vapes (e-cigs), chewing tobacco, cigars, pipes, snuff, snus and hookah. The program is also for people who want help staying tobacco-free after quitting.
During tobacco treatment you may learn behavioral strategies to keep from using tobacco and/or use FDA-approved medications to address nicotine addiction.
What should I expect at my first tobacco treatment appointment?
Your first tobacco treatment appointment is usually a one-hour visit with a tobacco treatment specialist. You may talk with your specialist about your:
- History of tobacco use
- Reasons for quitting
- Concerns about quitting
- Prior quit attempts
- Medical history
If you decide to quit (or cut down), we can also work with you to build a quit plan that works for your needs and lifestyle. We have many strategies to help you quit, including medication and behavioral options.
How many times will I meet with my tobacco treatment specialist?
You can meet with your tobacco treatment specialist one time or many times – it’s up to you. Many people find it helpful to meet before quitting to form a solid plan, and while quitting for extra support. At these appointments, our approach will focus on:
- Always remaining judgment-free and blame-free
- Setting goals that you are comfortable with
- Building and keeping your motivation
- Monitoring tobacco treatment medications
- Tracking progress
- Coping with nicotine withdrawal and other troubleshooting
Will my insurance cover the cost of the D-H Tobacco Treatment Program?
It may. It’s always best to contact your insurance provider for the most up-to-date information. Most insurance companies have a customer service telephone line and/or online portal where you can check this information.
If you do not have insurance, you can call the D-H Tobacco Treatment Program at (603)-650-8537 to learn more about your options.
What if I can’t come to DHMC in Lebanon to use the D-H Tobacco Treatment Program?
If using the D-H Tobacco Treatment Program in Lebanon won’t work for you, some other options you can try are:
- Talking with your healthcare provider about tobacco treatment medications and other ways to quit.
- Contacting 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) to access your state’s telephone quit line. The requirements to participate and the services offered differ by state.
- If you are a New Hampshire resident, visiting the QuitNow New Hampshire website to learn about state resources.
- If you are a Vermont resident, visiting the 802Quits website to learn more about state resources.
- Using an app on a smartphone such as QuitGuide or QuitSTART.
- Using a texting program:
- BecomeAnEx is for all ages.
- This is Quitting and My Life My Quit are made for teens and young adults. Please note: My Life My Quit is available in limited states, including New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
Visit smokefree.gov to learn more.
How can I support someone who is not ready to quit tobacco?
Some good starting points for showing your support are to:
- Learn about nicotine addiction. This understanding can help you show empathy when your loved one is ready to make a change.
- Learn about quitting resources like the ones above. With this knowledge, you can be a source of support when someone is ready to make a change.
- Acknowledge the difficulty of quitting. Many people who use tobacco have tried to quit before and have fears about trying to quit again. For example, many people worry about nicotine withdrawal, which can cause difficulty concentrating, irritability, anxiety, headaches and trouble sleeping. Acknowledging that quitting can be difficult can make it easier for your loved one to talk about their concerns and find ways to address them.
- Encourage some limitations until a person is ready to quit. Talk about limiting tobacco use at home, work, and/or in the car. For example, you may agree to limit tobacco use to outside. Taking steps like this can show a tobacco user that change is possible and bring that person closer to the goal of quitting for good.
How can I support someone who is ready to quit?
You can:
- Make your home and car tobacco-free. This means that nobody should use any tobacco in those places. Getting rid of lighters, ashtrays, and any other tobacco items and washing laundry and cleaning carpets to remove tobacco smells can help.
- Learn what may help and help get it. People quitting tobacco may need to buy tobacco treatment medications, healthy snacks, gum or cinnamon sticks to chew on (instead of tobacco products), or mints and candies to suck.
- Make fun plans! Going for a nice walk together is one healthy way to distract someone from tobacco cravings. Exercise is an especially good activity if someone is worried about gaining weight when quitting tobacco.
- Celebrate successes. Celebrate those first hours, days, and weeks of living tobacco-free with words of praise or other gestures. Quitting is hard and deserves to be recognized!
- Ask how the person is feeling. Asking can show that you care about the person’s experiences, not just their tobacco behaviors. If the quitting process has been hard, the person who’s quitting may even worry about disappointing you. Try asking with a calm and sincere tone, which can help to show you are interested to hear about good parts and challenges.
- Show patience, kindness and support. Difficulty concentrating, irritability, anxiety, headaches, and trouble sleeping are some of the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Most people quitting tobacco have some of these symptoms, but many people don’t realize that these feelings are related to quitting. Respond with support instead of taking it personally.
How can I help someone who slips?
A slip is when someone uses tobacco after quitting. Having a slip is very common when someone is trying to quit tobacco. If someone has a slip, you can help them recover before it turns into a relapse of regular tobacco use. Some ways to help a person recover from a slip are to:
- Acknowledge that slips are common when people try to quit tobacco.
- Talk with the person about their reasons for quitting.
- Help the person think about what caused the slip and how to avoid similar situations in the future (or how to respond differently, without tobacco).
- Encourage the person to commit to quitting again.
- Praise the person’s willingness to try quitting and try again.