Quitting Tobacco Doesn’t Have to Be Something You Do Alone
Most people who quit for good have tried before. That’s not failure — that’s practice. HealthCareOnTheGo offers free, judgment-free support to help you take the next try further than the last one.
Tobacco Hits Mississippi Harder Than Most States
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Mississippi. About 5,400 adults in our state die each year from smoking, and roughly 192,000 Mississippi children are exposed to secondhand smoke at home.
Behind those numbers are real families in Lauderdale, Pike, and the surrounding counties — people managing high blood pressure, COPD, diabetes, pregnancy, HIV care, or recovery, all while carrying an addiction that started long before they understood what it would cost.
Your Body Starts Repairing Itself Faster Than You’d Think
| Time After Your Last Use | What Happens |
|---|---|
| 20 minutes | Heart rate and blood pressure begin to drop |
| 12 hours | Carbon monoxide in your blood returns to normal |
| 2 weeks – 3 months | Circulation improves; lung function increases |
| 1 – 9 months | Coughing and shortness of breath decrease |
| 1 year | Risk of coronary heart disease is about half that of a continuing smoker |
| 5 years | Stroke risk can fall to that of a nonsmoker |
| 10 years | Lung cancer death risk is about half that of a continuing smoker |
Local, In-Person Support in Meridian and McComb
The Quitline is a powerful tool. We’re the people down the road who help you use it — and who handle the parts a phone call can’t.
Individual cessation counseling
Sit down with someone who will help you name your triggers, plan for the hard hours, and adjust when something isn’t working.
Medical evaluation and cessation medication
Our providers can evaluate you for nicotine replacement therapy and FDA-approved cessation medications, and coordinate them safely with any other medications you take.
Quitline enrollment assistance
We’ll make the call with you, sitting right there, and help you complete enrollment before you leave.
Group support
Connect with other people working on the same thing at the same time.
Integrated behavioral health care
Tobacco use rarely stands alone. If anxiety, depression, trauma, chronic pain, or substance use are part of your picture, we treat those in the same building, with the same team.
Support that fits recovery
For people in MAT/MOUD treatment or early recovery, we build cessation plans that protect your recovery rather than compete with it.
Roots, Not Symptoms
Smoking is usually the visible part of something larger. It’s the thing that steadies your hands after a hard shift, the thing you learned from someone you loved, the thing that fills the space where something else used to be.
We built our whole model around asking what’s underneath. That means we won’t shame you, we won’t rush you, and we won’t hand you a pamphlet and call it treatment. We’ll ask what tobacco is doing for you — and then help you build something that does it better.
This Program Is for You If…
- You smoke cigarettes, cigars, or little cigars
- You use smokeless tobacco, dip, or snuff
- You vape or use e-cigarettes
- You’ve tried to quit before and it didn’t stick
- You’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy
- You’re living with HIV, diabetes, heart disease, or COPD
- You’re in recovery from substance use
- You’re not sure you’re ready, but you’re thinking about it
Insurance note: We accept Medicaid, Medicare, and most commercial insurance. Cessation services are available regardless of ability to pay. Ask our front desk about options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Quitline really free?
Will you report me or tell my employer?
I’ve quit and relapsed several times. Is it even worth trying again?
Can I get help quitting vaping, not just cigarettes?
What if I’m only cutting back, not quitting?
Do I need a referral?
I take medication for mental health or I’m in MAT treatment. Is it safe to use cessation medication?
Ready to Start? Pick Whichever Feels Easiest.
Call the Quitline
Free coaching and nicotine patches, 24/7.
1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669)
Enroll Online
Sign up for the Mississippi Quitline directly from your mobile device or desktop computer.
Come See Us
In-person tobacco cessation support available at our clinics in Meridian and McComb.