The California Smokers' Helpline is a telephone, text, app, and chat-based tobacco cessation program. Services are free, evidence-based, and are offered in many languages. It is funded by the California Department of Public Health, California Tobacco Control Program.
This downloadable flyer developed by the California Smokers' Helpline summarizes all the English and Non-English tobacco cessation services offered by the California Smokers' Helpline and how to access the services.
Quit Vaping Help
The California Smokers' Helpline offers tailored support to people who want to quit vaping. Telephone, text, app, and chat-based cessation services are available.
PDF also Avaiable in the following languages:
Teen and Young Adult Resources to Quit Vaping and Tobacco Cessation 2020 (PDF)
This downloadable flyer developed by the California Youth Advocacy Network (CYAN) summarizes tobacco cessation resources available for youth and young adults. CYAN is funded by the California Department of Public Health, California Tobacco Control Program.
COVID-19 and Smoking/Vaping
COVID-19 attacks the lungs. People who smoke, vape or use hookah may be especially at risk.
Free help with quitting is available.
Give Your Lungs a Fighting Chance Infographic 2020 (PDF)
This downloadable print infographic explains how smoking and vaping decrease immunity to respiratory infections and increase the severity of COVID-19 infection.
Health Care Providers
Help Your Patients Quit
The Center for Tobacco Cessation provides training and technical assistance throughout California to increase the capacity of healthcare systems and providers identify and treat nicotine dependence. Continuing education units are available. The Center for Cessation is affiliated with the California Smokers' Helpline and is funded by the California Department of Public Health, California Tobacco Control Program.
Furnishing Nicotine Replacement Therapy for Vaping Cessation 2019 (PDF)
This Cessation Guide was developed by the Therapeutic Research Center to provide guidance to on nicotine replacement therapy for those seeking to quit the use of vape products.
Healthcare Systems
CA Quits seeks to build the capacity of healthcare systems to identify and treat nicotine dependence through the provision of training, technical assistance, and learning collaboratives. CA Quits focuses on safety net hospitals and clinics including PRIME hospitals (Public Hospital Redesign & Incentives in Medi-Cal), Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans, Federally Qualified Health Centers, Community Health Centers, and Indian Health Services funded clinics. CA Quits is funded by the California Department of Public Health, California Tobacco Control Program.
Medi-Cal Managed Care All Plan Letter: Comprehensive Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Services for Medi-Cal Beneficiaries (APL-16-014) 2016 (PDF)
This letter summarizes the minimum tobacco cessation and prevention services required of Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans.
Advancing Smoking Cessation in California's Medicaid Population, American Journal of Preventive Medicine Supplement 2018
This American Journal of Preventive Medicine supplement summarizes theĀ findings of the five-year federally funded Medi-Cal Incentives to Quit Smoking (MIQS) Project.
George Washington Cancer Center, Policy System & Environment Change: MIQS Project Case Study 2020
This case study summarizes the major findings of the MIQS Project Study.
Dental Professionals
Dental practices provide a uniquely effective setting for assessing for tobacco use and offering cessation support and prevention messaging. The
California Oral Health Technical Assistance Center provides support and resources to dental professionals to identify, patients who use tobacco, advising them to quit, and offering them information about cessation treatment. It is funded by the
California Department of Public Health, Office of Oral Health.
Tips and Resources for Dental Providers about New and Emerging Tobacco Products and Counseling Patients in a New Tobacco Landscape 2019 (PDF)
This document summarizes the array of tobacco products on the market and provides tips on advising dental patients to quit, cessation pharmacotherapy, and resources for dental providers to help their patients quit.
Behavioral Health Care System
The California Behavioral Health and Wellness Initiative provides
funding to residential behavioral health facilities to implement 18-month quality improvement projects focused on reducing tobacco use and promoting wellness policies and activities among individuals with substance use and behavioral health disorders. The
Smoking Cessation Leadership Center provides training and technical assistance to help California-based residential and out-patient behavioral health facilities to adopt tobacco-free campus policies and improve their capacity to identify and treat nicotine dependence. The Smoking Cessation Leadership Center is
funded by the California Department of Public Health, California Tobacco Control Program.
Pharmacists
Pharmacists are widely accessible and highly trained health care providers and are an excellent community resource for tobacco cessation support. Senate Bill (SB) 493 (2013) expanded opportunities for pharmacists to assess and treat patients for nicotine dependence.
Quit Tobacco: How Pharmacists Can Help 2020 (PDF)
This flyer summarizes how pharmacist can help tobacco users quit and their expanded authority to furnish prescription nicotine replacement therapy under SB 493
Training Program for Pharmacists to Furnish Nicotine Replacement Therapy
This training is offered by the California Pharmacists Association. Pharmacists, certified in smoking cessation therapy, are authorized to furnish prescription nicotine replacement therapy such as nicotine nasal spray or inhalers.
Protocol for Pharmacists Furnishing Nicotine Replacement Products 2015 (PDF)
This document published by the California State Board of Pharmacy describes the protocol for pharmacists to furnish nicotine replacement products.
Exploring Alternatives for Cessation Counseling 2019 (PDF)
Over the past 25 years, the California Smokers' Helpline (Helpline) has provided free, telephone-based tobacco cessation counseling services for California residents. As technology has evolved, the Helpline has rolled out new communication modalities to expand options for people to access their services. The factsheet describes how the Helpline offers alternatives to telephone counseling.
Public Health Specialized Registry 2016
The California Smokers' Helpline has been designated as a Public Health Specialized Registry within the California Department of Public Health's Health Information Exchange Gateway. The Gateway allows providers, hospitals and health information exchange organizations to register and manage public health data exchange with California Department of Public Health for specific types of reportable diseases and conditions, such as tobacco use.