This Mother’s Day, the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline is offering up to 8 weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy, rather than the two weeks typically offered.  Registrants will also receive up to five Quit Coach calls for those who enroll in the All Access plan. The increased nicotine replacement therapy (gum, patches or lozenges) is a limited time offer and expires on June 30.

About 17% of Oklahoma women smoke, which places them at high risk of smoking-related health issues like infertility, lung cancer, stroke and heart disease. Babies born to mothers who smoke may be born too early or at a low birth weight, which increases the risk of longer hospital stays and sickness.

Candace Hammontree of Glenpool, was motived to quit tobacco with the Helpline to be a healthy role model for her family. She quit with her husband, Chase, who successfully quit with the Helpline.

“You only get to enjoy your children’s childhood once, and smoking cigarettes was standing in the way of that.” Candace said. “We wanted to make sure that our children grow up healthy. My personal goal was for my daughter to never remember her parents as cigarette smokers — and she doesn’t.”

To assist mothers and others, the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline lets participants to select individual options, a comprehensive plan or a bundled program of free services. These include text and email support, phone and web coaching, texting and free patches, gum or lozenges. Moms-to-be are eligible for one-on-one support.

Children from families who smoke are twice as likely to become smokers themselves. Infants and young children, whose bodies and lungs have not fully developed, are particularly vulnerable to dangerous secondhand smoke. Exposure to secondhand smoke can lead to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), ear infections, asthma attacks, bronchitis, pneumonia and more.

This Mother’s Day, May 8, the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline is offering all mothers – smokers and nonsmokers – tips on how to protect their children and families from the dangers of smoke, secondhand smoke and secondhand vape/ Call 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669) or visit OKhelpline.com for more information.