OH health officials urge smokers to keep trying to quit in January

By Farah Siddiqi

For Ohioans who made a New Year’s resolution to quit smoking or vaping, health officials said the first few weeks of January are often the hardest.

Public health experts noted it is when many people struggle with nicotine withdrawal and consider giving up on their attempt to quit. In Cleveland, health leaders said sustained investment in tobacco prevention and cessation is paying off. City officials report Cleveland’s smoking rate has dropped sharply over the past several years, even as quitting remains difficult for many residents.

Dr. David Margolius, director of public health for the City of Cleveland, offered words of encouragement.

"Don’t give up," Margolius urged. "It’s so hard to quit smoking. For many people, it takes lots and lots of tries, but don’t give up. It’s really, truly worth it."

Cleveland officials said the city’s smoking rate has fallen from about 35% to 19%, nearly halving over the past several years. Health leaders said the decline reflects a combination of prevention efforts, cessation support and policy changes.

National health advocates said this time of year is when many people abandon quit resolutions. The second Friday after New Year’s is often referred to as “Quitter’s Day.” To counter the trend, Truth Initiative has renamed it “You Got This Day,” and is promoting free tools designed to help people quit nicotine, especially young adults.

Megan Jacobs, senior vice president of product innovations for Truth Initiative, talked about the group's efforts.

"We introduced this as a campaign to introduce young people to our free quitting program, called 'EX Program,' to really drive awareness of that resource that celebrates everyday victories that lead to breaking free from nicotine addiction for good," Jacobs outlined.

Health experts said most people who smoke want to quit but nicotine addiction, including from vaping and menthol cigarettes, makes quitting difficult without support. Ohio residents can access free help through digital programs and the national quit line at 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

Reporting by Ohio News Connection in association with Media in the Public Interest and funded in part by the George Gund Foundation.