Commercial Tobacco Use
Get Help Quitting

Most people who smoke, vape (use e-cigarettes), or use dip or chew want to quit. Quitting has both immediate and long-term health benefits. It also helps protect family and friends who may be exposed to secondhand smoke or aerosol from vapes (e-cigarettes), especially infants and those who may have asthma or other chronic health issues.

Learn more: Benefits of Quitting

Quitting isn't easy, but help is free

Quitting is tough because nicotine in cigarettes, vapes, chew, and other commercial tobacco products changes the brain. When you stop, your brain goes through withdrawal, causing irritability, trouble sleeping, and strong cravings. Commercial tobacco use can be tied to daily routines and emotions, so quitting may also mean finding new ways to handle stress, boredom, or even happiness.

The good news? Many people have quit successfully, and there are medications and strategies to make it easier. In fact, people who use phone coaching and quit medications are twice as likely to successfully quit.

Free help is available to all people who live in Minnesota.

Learn more

Do you have clients or patients who are trying to quit? Get free tools to promote quitting, make referrals, and integrate treatment into your practice.

Learn more: Commercial Tobacco Use Treatment

More help for teens

Teen.smokefree.gov | National Cancer Institute
Get information, tips, tools, and live web-based support for teens who want to quit using tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.
SmokefreeTXT for Teens | National Cancer Institute
A text-based program to help young people quit tobacco use.
1-800-QUIT-NOW
A hotline that connects teens to their state quitline. Teens can get free and confidential support from a quit coach and get connected to additional resources.
EX® Program | Truth Initiative
A mobile program designed to help young people quit e-cigarettes. Resources are available for teens and young adults as well as parents and caregivers.
NOT for Me | American Lung Association
A mobile-friendly quitting program designed to help youth aged 14–19 stop using e-cigarettes.

Quit Partner's Behavioral Health Program

Quit Partner offers specialized support for people living with substance use disorder or a mental illness, such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, or bipolar disorder. Quit Partner coaches can help people understand their commercial tobacco use in connection to their mood, thoughts, and behaviors. Coaches can help order quit medications, develop coping techniques and a quit plan, provide relapse prevention tips, and provide support to help you stay quit. Once enrolled, people can call any time for additional support.

Learn more: Support for Those Living with a Mental Illness or Other Addiction

Quit Partner's Pregnancy Program

Nicotine addiction doesn’t go away just because a person is pregnant or planning to be. Quit Partner offers judgement-free support to help pregnant and post-partum people quit without adding to the stress of having a baby. People who enroll are paired with a specially trained female coach. The program is personalized to a person's needs, whether they are planning to get pregnant, are currently pregnant, or have just had a baby.

Learn more: Help If You’re Pregnant or Planning to Be

American Indian Quitline

The American Indian Quitline from Quit Partner™ is free and available for any Minnesota residents that identify as American Indian or Alaska Native.

The American Indian Quitline has a dedicated team of American Indian coaches who understand your culture and respect your traditions. In addition to one-on-one coaching, the American Indian Quitline offers email and text support, educational materials, and quit medication (nicotine patches, gum or lozenges) delivered by mail.

Call 1-833-9AI-QUIT (924-7848) or visit aiquit.com.

More help for adults

Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe - Tobacco Cessation Services
This support program is available to all Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe community members. It offers one-on-one office visits and phone counseling, as well as educational materials and a variety of cessation programming. The program encourages traditional tobacco use at ceremonies, powwows, and other events and provides "Quit Kits" with resources and educational materials. Schedule an appointment with a medical provider at any of the Band clinics. For tobacco education, information, and referral regarding free cessation services, contact Health Services at 320-532-4163.
Smokefree Español | smokefree.gov
Este sitio en la red ofrece enfoques recomendados sobre cómo dejar de fumar, información sobre un amplio rango de temas relacionados con el fumar y dejar de fumar, y una fuente de recursos gratuitos en español. La información disponible en este sitio en la red puede darle apoyo con sus necesidades inmediatas y a largo plazo a medida que deja de fumar.
Smokefree Veterans | smokefree.gov
Smokefree Women | smokefree.gov
Quit VET | U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
VA’s free telephone quitline, 1-855-QUIT-VET (1-855-784-8838), offers tobacco cessation counseling to any Veteran who receives their health care through VA.
Freedom From Smoking | American Lung Association
The Freedom From Smoking program provides a structured approach to quitting through personalized plans, expert guidance, and behavioral strategies. Participants can access support via group sessions, an online program, or self-help resources, along with assistance in understanding medications that aid in quitting. The program also fosters a supportive community and offers tools to manage stress and prevent relapse, increasing the chances of long-term success.

Benefits of quitting

Quitting also helps protect family and friends who may be exposed to secondhand smoke or aerosol from vaping, especially infants and those who may have asthma or other chronic health issues.

Looking and feeling better

Not only may quitting prevent bad breath, stained teeth, and premature wrinkles, it decreases the risk of many commercial tobacco-related health consequences. What's more, the human body begins to heal within just minutes of quitting:

Within 20 minutes, heart rate and blood pressure drop.
After 1-9 months, coughing and shortness of breath decrease.
After 1 year, the risk of coronary heart disease is about half that of a person who smokes.
After 5 years, risk of stroke is reduced.
After 10 years, the risk of lung cancer falls to about half that of a person who smokes and the risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix, and pancreas decreases.

Protecting family and friends

Secondhand smoke causes early death and disease in both children and adults who do not smoke. There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Children and infants exposed to secondhand smoke may experience:

A greater risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
More frequent and severe asthma attacks.
Ear infections.
Respiratory infections, like pneumonia or bronchitis.
Respiratory symptoms like coughing, sneezing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.

Learn more: Secondhand Smoke and Aerosol

Saving money

After quitting, money normally spent on commercial tobacco products, like a pack of cigarettes, could be spent on other things, such as paying off bills, new shoes or clothes, or even a much-needed vacation. Additionally, quitting now may help prevent costly medical bills down the road.

How much do cigarettes cost you? Find out using this Savings Calculator from Quit Partner.