Cessation Information

KanUquit

KanUquit is a tobacco cessation program provided on campus for students, faculty and staff. This 6-week program is designed to help tobacco users identify a quit date and develop a plan of action. Individual or group sessions are led by a trained facilitator in this format:

  • Week 1 - Assess Readiness to Quit
  • Week 2 - Decision to Quit
  • Week 3 - Establish a Quit Date
  • Week 4 - Your Quit Date
  • Week 5 - Staying Tobacco Free
  • Week 6 - Reflection and Evaluation

The program is free for KU students covered under required campus fees. Nicotine replacement therapy is an additional cost. Students interested in the program can email the Health Education Resource Office at hero@ku.edu.

The program costs $100 for KU employees, which includes a 1-month supply of nicotine replacement therapy (choice of gum or patch). Faculty and staff can email Patty Quinlan at pquinlan@ku.edu.

Nicotine replacement therapy products can also be purchased in Watkins Health Services Pharmacy.

Additional Cessation Resources

Thinking of quitting? LMH Health offers the You Can Be Smoke Free program. It is individualized, interactive and patient-centered. Work with a Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist to help you develop a plan to quit. This four-session program meets by telephone and is $75. Scholarships are available.

You will learn about:

  • Addiction
  • Strategies to help quit and stay quit
  • Medications that may be helpful
  • Relapse prevention

SmokefreeTXT is a free mobile text messaging service. The program provides 24/7 encouragement, advice and tips to help smokers quit tobacco and stay quit. It's a 6- to 8-week program in which users receive 1 to 5 messages a day and can even receive additional support by texting one of SmokefreeTXT's keywords. Message and data rates may apply.  

This is Quitting is a free and anonymous text messaging program from Truth Initiative designed to help young people quit vaping. Those who are not ready to quit receive at least four weeks of messages focused on building skills and confidence. Users with a quit date receive one week of messages prior to that date and at least eight weeks of messages after their quit date. Throughout the program, users can text keywords to receive instant support.

The State Employee Health Plan/HealthQuest offers a Tobacco Cessation program and Health Coaching for eligible faculty and staff and covered spouses. For more information, log into your HealthQuest portal and click on "Incentives & Wellness" or call 785-783-4080.

The Caremark prescription drug plan will pay 100% of the allowed amount for tobacco control products listed on the Preferred Drug List (pdf) which is subject to periodic review and modification. For covered over the counter products, you will need to present your physician's prescription order for the OTC items to the Network pharmacy and request that the claim be run through the CVS/Caremark claim system or submit a paper claim with proper documentation of purchase and a copy of the prescription.