County quit campaign doubles nicotine therapy prescriptions
More than 1,000 residents connect to quit support services
– A local public health campaign is increasing access to nicotine quit support in San Luis Obispo County, with prescriptions for nicotine replacement therapy doubling since last summer.
The initiative, led by the County of San Luis Obispo Public Health Department, CenCal Health, and the San Luis Obispo County Tobacco Control Coalition, has connected more than 1,000 community members to quit support, including medications such as nicotine patches, gum, lozenges, and varenicline.
“This is one of the key strategies of our work—removing barriers and making healthy choices the easy choice. We’re turning missed opportunities into real support for people who want to quit,” said Dr. Penny Borenstein, County Health Officer. “New, highly addictive forms of tobacco, such as vapes and pouches, can trap people in long-term use. Additionally, smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S.”
Health officials said many people using nicotine products are unaware that quit medications can increase success rates by 50–70% and are often low-cost or free with a prescription. Research conducted by California Polytechnic State University and Public Health staff found that lack of awareness, not lack of interest, was a key barrier to quitting.
To address that gap, Public Health staff launched a multimedia campaign to raise awareness of available quit resources. Education efforts also expanded into healthcare settings, including provider training and “Quit Today” materials encouraging patients to discuss quitting during medical visits.
Among CenCal Health members diagnosed with tobacco use disorder, prescriptions for nicotine replacement therapy increased from 12% to 24% during the campaign period.
“Quitting is one of the most important things a person can do for their health,” said Marina Owen. “By partnering with San Luis Obispo County to increase awareness among both providers and patients, we’re helping more people connect to effective resources and succeed.”
Health officials said quitting tobacco or nicotine is difficult without support but noted that treatments are available. Residents are encouraged to speak with healthcare providers about quit medications and support options or visit slocounty.gov/quit for more information.
