Are you struggling to quit smoking? Or, perhaps you’ve tried to quit before but with no luck. You’re not alone. The Maine Tobacco HelpLine is a statewide initiative committed to helping Maine residents quit tobacco. Coaching by certified tobacco treatment specialists is free.
We know how hard -- and important -- it is to quit for both your health and the health of your family. Smoking doesn't just hurt the tobacco user's health in multiple ways. Secondhand smoke also leads to asthma and other health problems for the loved ones of smokers. Adult smokers are not the role models they want and need to be for their children.
Quitting tobacco is just a phone call away
The Maine Tobacco HelpLine is here to help. Just call 1-800-207-1230 or visit https://mainequitlink.com. The Maine Tobacco HelpLine is open every day, including weekends. Supported by the Maine CDC, the Maine Tobacco HelpLine is a state-funded resource that is free to all Maine residents and managed by the MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence.
How does it work?
Just call 1-800-207-1230 for an assessment. Our certified counselors will recommend a treatment plan that is right for you. Clients can receive:
- Single-call counseling: A tobacco treatment specialist counsels the client on creating goals for quitting smoking and tobacco products.
- Multi-call counseling: A tobacco treatment specialist works with the client over a six- to eight-week period. There are a total of four phone calls during which the client sets a quit date. Sessions help with motivation and provide counseling about tobacco dependence.
- Free medication: With the single- or multi-call counseling services, free medication also may be provided to help reduce cravings to smoke and use tobacco products. The medication may be a nicotine patch, gum or lozenges. Clients pick up the medication for free at their local drug store after their first phone counseling session with the tobacco treatment specialist.
More about our services
Doctors also can get training to counsel patients on becoming tobacco free, or they can refer people to the Maine Tobacco HelpLine. Tobacco-free counseling and treatment also are available to patients at any MaineHealth hospital. The inpatient service is free. The MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence also works with doctors and other healthcare providers at their medical practices to adopt tobacco-free interventions. The MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence offers free office-based training to MaineHealth providers to help them gain the knowledge they need for tobacco treatment and patient-centered interactions.
To schedule a training service or receive more information, call 207-662-7150 or visit CTIMaine.org.
The MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence has a proven track record of helping Maine residents end their addiction to tobacco. The center brings proven research, nationally recognized training and cutting-edge treatment to helping people quit for good.
Its work reflects the goal of the MaineHealth system to maintain a high standard of care for treating tobacco dependence, with the aim to reduce smoking by Maine residents.
The center is the contractor for the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Statewide Tobacco Dependence Treatment Initiative, including the Maine Tobacco Helpline and Tobacco Medication & Training Programs.
All MaineHealth medical center and hospital campuses are tobacco-free and have been awarded Gold Star status by Breathe Easy. This annual initiative recognizes hospitals for addressing tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke through evidence-based policies and procedures.