The Texas County Health Department, in conjunction with the South Central Cancer Control Coalition, is starting up their second “Freedom From Smoking” campaign by offering tobacco cessation classes to local residents at their Houston office beginning on April 03, 2008.

The classes are being offered through a tobacco cessation grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health awarded to the South Central Cancer Control Coalition, a group made up of four area health departments in Shannon, Texas, Crawford and Pulaski Counties.  Each county plans to offer four courses over the next two years. All four counties have very high smoking rates making them prime candidates for the tobacco cessation funding. 

Roberta Geisler, Health Educator at Texas County Health Department, certified by the American Lung Association to conduct the “Freedom From Smoking” course, will facilitate the classes.  Participants will have to commit one evening per week, for approximately 1 ½ to 2 hours of class time, for a total of eight weeks in order to receive the free nicotine replacement patches that are an important component of the course.

Geisler states “This is a great opportunity for the residents of our county who have not had the resources available to them in the past to finally kick that old habit and become smoke-free. Quiting smoking will in turn be setting a wonderful example for the children in our community.” 

The American Lung Association requires a small fee from each participant to cover the cost of participants “Freedom From Smoking” workbook.   The Nicotine patches and other supplies will all be provided free of charge by the Missouri Foundation for Health grant. 

For more information about the classes or to sign up for the course contact Roberta Geisler at the Texas County Health Department at 417-967-4131.