Free Tobacco Cessation Counseling Services Offered in OKC Metro

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahomans who want to quit smoking can breathe easier knowing that tobacco cessation counseling treatment is offered at no cost to participants in Oklahoma City through the TSET Health Promotion Research Center (HPRC; formerly the Oklahoma Tobacco Research Center).

The HPRC is a program of the NCI Designated OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center and its mission is to reduce the burden of disease in Oklahoma by addressing tobacco use, sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, and risky alcohol and other substance use.

The HPRC’s Tobacco Treatment Research Program (TTRP) offers free tobacco cessation counseling services, nicotine patches, lozenges, and gum; opportunities to participate in paid tobacco cessation research studies involving smartphone apps, prescription medications, and monetary rewards for quitting.

Dr. Darla Kendzor, Co-Director of the HPRC, advises that, “Quitting tobacco is one of the most important things you can do to improve your health and the health of your loved ones. To have the best chance of success, it is important to use effective treatments, like counseling and nicotine replacement therapy.”

The year 2020 has been challenging for everyone, but many of us continue to make strides toward improving our physical and mental health. TTRP strives to help Oklahomans start 2021 on a new foot by offering tools to live a healthier lifestyle. To participate in this program, you must be 18 years or older and use tobacco or other nicotine products. The TTRP has ongoing research studies focused on helping those who want to quit smoking and as well as studies for those who are not yet ready to quit.

The Health Promotion Research Center is supported by the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) with the purpose of extending the impact of the trust’s health promotion initiatives and leveraging investments to bring additional funding to Oklahoma from the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other sources.

For more information about smoking cessation treatment and participating in research, please call: (405) 271-QUIT (7848), email: TTRP@ouhsc.edu, or visit: 271quit.com

The HPRC receives funding from OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center via an NCI Cancer Center Support Grant (P30CA225520) and the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust grant R21-02. Tobacco Treatment Research Program | IRB # 6951 Darla Kendzor, PhD, Principal Investigator

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OU HEALTH STEPHENSON CANCER CENTER
OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center is Oklahoma’s only National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Center. It was named Oklahoma’s top facility for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report in its 2020-21 rankings. Stephenson Cancer Center is one of the nation’s elite centers, representing the top 2% of cancer centers in the country. It is the largest and most comprehensive oncology practice in the state, delivering patient-centered, multidisciplinary care for every type of cancer. As one of the nation’s leading research organizations, Stephenson Cancer Center uses the latest innovations to fight and eliminate cancer, and is currently ranked No. 1 among all cancer centers in the nation for the number of patients participating in clinical trials sponsored by the NCI’s National Clinical Trials Network. For more information, visit stephensoncancercenter.org.

OU HEALTH

OU Health is the state’s only comprehensive academic health system of hospitals, clinics and centers of excellence. With 11,000 employees and more than 1,300 physicians and advanced practice providers, OU Health is home to Oklahoma’s largest doctor network with a complete range of specialty care. OU Health serves Oklahoma and the region with the state’s only freestanding children’s hospital, the only National Cancer Institute-Designated OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center and Oklahoma’s flagship hospital, which serves as the state’s only Level 1 trauma center. Becker’s Hospital Review named University of Oklahoma Medical Center one of the 100 Great Hospitals in America for 2020. OU Health’s oncology program at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center was named Oklahoma’s top facility for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report in its 2020-21 rankings. OU Health also was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as high performing in these specialties: Colon Surgery, COPD and Congestive Heart Failure. OU Health’s mission is to lead healthcare in patient care, education and research. To learn more, visit ouhealth.com.