 Quitting smoking may be one of the hardest things you ever have to do, but you don't have to do it alone.
Talk to your VA health care provider about help with quitting smoking, including getting medication to improve your chances of quitting and a referral to a VA smoking cessation clinic.
To find the nearest VA health care facility
Learn more about why to quit smoking and how to quit.
Smoking and Tobacco Use Facts
Smoking is the leading preventable cause of premature death and a leading cause of illness and mortality.
Smoking and tobacco use cessation persists as one of the VA’s biggest public health challenges.
- Many veterans began using tobacco while in the military.
- The rate of smoking among veterans in the VA health care system is higher than among the U.S. population.
Approximately 70% of all smokers say they want to quit, but even the most motivated may try to quit 5 or 6 times before they are able to quit. Over 3 million Americans successfully quit smoking every year.
To help veterans quit smoking and tobacco use, VA offers:
- Screening for tobacco use during primary care visits.
- Individual counseling.
- Prescriptions for nicotine replacement therapy, such as a nicotine patch or gum, or other medications.
- Participation in evidence-based smoking cessation programs.
Veterans may contact the nearest VA health care facility to schedule an appointment.
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