Cleveland Clinic's SmokeFree Cleveland Campaign

In January, Cleveland Clinic, the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County launched SmokeFree Greater Cleveland, a three-month program that offered free smoking cessation services to all Cuyahoga County residents with additional services specific to City of Cleveland residents. The program recently was unveiled by Delos "Toby" Cosgrove, M.D., President and CEO of Cleveland Clinic, along with Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, Cuyahoga County Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones and Cleveland City Council President Martin Sweeney.

"We are happy to collaborate with local organizations like Cleveland Clinic to implement programs that will help to improve the health and well-being of our citizens," says Mayor Jackson. "It is our hope that the citizens of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County take full advantage of this program, for their health, and for the health of those around them."

Cuyahoga County residents received nicotine patches; and more than 200 people accessed Cleveland Clinic's online smoking cessation program. "We are committed to eliminating smoking as a vice that endangers Northeast Ohio residents of all ages," says CEO and President Toby Cosgrove, M.D. "This effort builds upon Cleveland Clinic's efforts to raise awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco and avail Greater Cleveland residents of smoking cessation resources."

The SmokeFree Greater Cleveland campaign yielded astounding success, according to the recently released results. An estimated 3,291 of the 7,238 participants quit smoking, and 1,697 of them will remain tobacco-free, yielding an encouraging 23.45 percent quit rate.

The stats
During the six-month program, the Ohio Tobacco QUIT LINE (1.800.QUIT-NOW) received an average of 1,038 calls per month in Cuyahoga County, up 103 percent from December 2006. The Cleveland Clinic Web-based smoking cessation program "Breathe Advantage," logged 384 new users, and 115 people received both nicotine replacement therapy and counseling through the Cuyahoga County Comprehensive Partnership for Tobacco Reduction.
All told, this program has contributed to a combined estimated 15,277 years of life saved to those who quit smoking. Encouraging research has shown that it's never too late to prolong life by eliminating tobacco. Studies have shown that smoking can reduce one's life expectancy by up to ten years. Yet, there is good news. Should they quit by the age of 35, they can regain all 10 years; 9 years should they quit by age 45; 6 years by age 55; and 3 years by age 65.
Cleveland Clinic and the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation primarily funded the effort, which cost a total of $1,488,656. Smoking fuels in excess of $75 billion in direct and indirect medical costs annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control.