Who is Eligible for this Program?
The Tobacco Cessation Program is available to the following
members of Team Coast Guard:
Purpose of Program
Tobacco use remains the number one cause of preventable
death in the United States and a major risk factor in many chronic
illnesses. The Health Promotion Program recognizes that tobacco dependence
is a chronic condition that often requires repeated intervention before
life long freedom from nicotine dependence is achieved. For this reason,
the HP Program has partnered with The Mayo Clinic Tobacco Quitline (MCTQ)
to provide counseling and nicotine replacement therapy for eligible
participants.
The Mayo Clinic Tobacco
Quitline for the Coast Guard
By calling today, active duty members, their dependents, reservists and
civilian employees of the Coast Guard can begin their journey to a tobacco
free life. Mayo Clinic counselors trained in nicotine addiction will help
callers determine their readiness to quit, develop and individualized quit
plan including treatment recommendations and provide on-going support
throughout the quit process. If treatment recommendations include the use
of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) such as patches, gum or lozenges,
those products can be mailed to the enrollee at no cost. Please see the
Frequently Asked Questions
about the MCTQ.
To enroll in the MCTQ, call 1-888-642-5566 TODAY! |
Program
Confidentiality
Discussion concerning tobacco use and names of individuals’ seeking or
on treatment are confidential between the patient, the primary care
provider, and/or the Health Promotion Manager (HPM) involved.
Services and Resources Available
In addition to the Mayo Clinic Tobacco Quitline,
Regional
Health Promotions Managers can also offer unit-wide tobacco
cessation education and training upon request. HPMs also maintain a
library of tobacco cessation educational materials and a resource list for
services outside of the CG.
Facts about Quitting Smoking
Quitting smoking today can dramatically improve the overall health of a
tobacco user in the days, weeks and months to follow. Here are some
examples of what a quitter will experience:
Coast Guard Policies Regarding Tobacco Use
It is Coast Guard policy to discourage the use of all forms of tobacco
products and to protect non-users from exposure to ETS and unsanitary
conditions created by the use of spit tobacco. The use of any tobacco
product in public detracts from a sharp military appearance and is
discouraged. Where conflicts arise between the rights of non-tobacco users
and tobacco users, the rights of the non-tobacco user shall prevail.
The entire CG Tobacco Use Policy can be found in Chapter 3 of the Coast Guard Health Promotion Manual -
COMDTINST M6200.1A
Requesting Services or Resources
These services or resources can be obtained by contacting the
Health Promotion Manager or EAP counselor on your
Regional Work-Life Staff. Personnel experiencing stress/problems
associated with tobacco cessation can also contact the Employee Assistance
Program Coordinator on the Work-Life Staff. Work-Life Staffs are located at Integrated
Support Commands CG-wide and at the Headquarters Support Command.
Program References
The following references provide details of the Tobacco
Cessation Program:
Related Web Sites
The following web sites provide information related to the Tobacco
Cessation Program:
Point of Contact
If you are unable to contact the Health Promotion Manager on your
Regional Work-Life Staff, or need additional
assistance beyond the information provided here, please contact the
Headquarters Health Promotions Program Manager, LT Tim Merrell at (202)
475-5146, fax (202) 475-5907, or e-mail at
Timothy.M.Merrell@uscg.mil.