A nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism

Resources available to help smokers quit as cigarette tax increases go into effect


Now that the tax on a pack of cigarettes sold in Kentucky has risen from 60 cents to $1.10, many Kentuckians may decide it’s a good time to kick the habit. The Coalition for a Smoke-Free Tomorrow reminds smokers that there are many resources available to help them quit successfully.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly seven in 10 adult smokers want to quit, and a similar percentage have tried at least once to do so in the past year. Every attempt counts, the CDC reminds smokers. Here are some tips and information for Kentuckians who want to quit smoking:


Quitting is hard, but it’s possible.

• Quitting may take several attempts, but every attempt is a step along the way to quitting for good.
• Having a plan and taking advantage of the help that’s available from numerous sources can help you manage the challenges you’ll face to finally quit successfully.
• Nicotine is a highly addictive drug, perhaps as addictive as heroin, cocaine or alcohol. Most smokers become addicted to nicotine, which is found naturally in tobacco.
• Tobacco companies intentionally manipulated the nicotine levels in tobacco products, making them more addictive.

You don’t have to quit on your own.

• Kentucky state law now requires private health insurance companies and Medicaid/Managed Care Organizations to cover the cost of smoking cessation medication and programs that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration. This coverage includes nicotine replacement therapies, such as gums and patches, that reduce withdrawal feelings and cigarette cravings. Ask your doctor about these therapies.

• Kentucky’s Quitline program, Quit Now Kentucky, offers three different programs – a phone only program, an online-only program and a combined phone and online program – to help deal the issues that make quitting hard. Participants can choose what parts of the program will work for them. Many can access the program and nicotine replacement therapies free of cost. Visit www.quitnowkentucky.org or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW to learn more.

• Many employers, health organizations, and local agencies offer free or low-cost smoking cessation programs. Check with your employer, your local health department, or the American Lung Association for a Freedom from Smoking® clinic near you.

More tips from the CDC for quitting smoking are available here.

Coalition for a Smoke-Free Tomorrow


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