AHS shares resources to help quit smoking

By ANNA SMITH Local Journalism Initiative on January 22, 2025.

asmith@medicinehatnews.com

With national Non-Smoking Week on the way, AHS hopes to raise awareness of the benefits of quitting smoking and vaping, and to help people get started on a ‘quit journey’ that works for them.

Residents can call the AlbertaQuits helpline at 1-866-710-QUIT (7848) for free, confidential advice and support from a quit counsellor, or visit AlbertaQuits.ca for guidance. For those less inclined to phone calls, those interested can text the word “ABQuits” to the number 123456 for free text messages for motivation.

AHS also encouraged those who have a primary care doctor or healthcare provider to ask about medications that can boost your chances of staying quit. Some costs may be covered.

They highlighted the benefits of using these resources, pointing out that “Within 20 minutes of putting out your last cigarette, your blood pressure and heart rate go down with less stress on your heart and blood vessels.”

National Non-Smoking Week runs Jan.19-25.

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