Take the Smoking Habits Quiz, which will assess your nicotine dependence and provide personalized feedback about taming nicotine cravings.

The American Heart Association’s No-Smoking Confidence Assessment and Tips offers suggestions on how to fight the urge in situations where you’re not so confident.

A combination of in-person or telephone counseling with medication has the highest success rates. Click here to compare treatment options.

For medication, you have several over-the-counter and prescription options available. The Colorado QuitLine can provide FREE gum, patches, and lozenges to those who are eligible. The pharmacy at the CSU Health and Medical Center also offers low-cost medications.

Prescription medications like Chantix and Zyban come in pill form and work directly on the brain to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Both of these do not contain nicotine, which is better for the body. Talk to your doctor to see if this type of medication is right for you.

Other prescriptions, like Nicotrol (an inhaler) and Nicotrol NS (nasal spray) contain nicotine and are absorbed into the body quickly. These can help control cravings. Some patches (like Habitrol or Prostep) require a prescription, while others (like Nicoderm CQ) do not. Nicotine is delivered steadily throughout the day, and the patch can be easily hidden under clothing.

Nicotine gum is available without a prescription. It works best if you chew it briefly, then hold it between the inside of your cheek and gum line. Don’t continue to chew – the nicotine can upset your stomach. You also cannot eat, drink, or chew anything else 15 minutes before using the gum, or while it’s in your mouth.

For more information about medication/cessation options, please visit https://smokefree.gov/tools-tips/how-to-quit/using-nicotine-replacement-therapy

For the health of our university community, Colorado State University is now smoke-free, vape-free and tobacco-free. For more information, click here.

The City of Fort Collins’ Smoking Ordinance is in compliance with the State of Colorado’s Clean Indoor Air Act(CCIAA) of 2006, which prohibits smoking in most public places, including bars, restaurants, and places of employment. It also prohibits smoking within 15 feet of smoke-free areas (Fort Collins requires 20 feet).

The City of Fort Collins recently expanded smoke-free areas, to include:

• Old Town Square (January 1, 2016)
• All City parks, trails, and natural areas (Sept. 1, 2015)
• Most City-approved events and festivals (2016)
• All City owned and operated facilities and their grounds (Sept. 1, 2015)

Please visit www.fcgov.com/smokefree to view the most current City policy.