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Excerpts from:  Many Seeking to Quit, Smoking-cessation programs report increase in calls

By Margaret Ramirez, Newsday.com [03/31/03]

Several smoking-cessation programs are reporting an increase in calls from people who want to kick the habit, a trend that some health experts believe was triggered by the city's new smoking ban.

"We have experienced an upsurge in calls in the past few months," said Dr. Lirio S. Covey, director of the Smoking Cessation Clinic at Columbia University. "It's hard to distinguish whether the increase is a direct reaction to the ban, but I think the ban is serving as a motivating factor for people who want to stop smoking."

At Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan, Anne Moses, director of the Karpas Health Information Center, said the Smoke Stoppers phone line has been ringing off the hook in the past month.

"No one is mentioning the new law and we certainly never ask people why they want to stop smoking," Moses said. "They are just saying it's about time they quit."

The city's new smoking ban makes it illegal to light up inside virtually any indoor workplace, including offices, bars, restaurants and nightclubs. In another blow to smokers, Gov. George Pataki signed an even tougher ban Wednesday that outlaws smoking in any place of business in the state.

The state law goes into effect in 120 days and will relegate legal smoking to private homes, cars and cigar bars registered as such by the end of last year, along with Indian casinos. Bars and restaurants will be able to offer up to two promotional events a year where smoking is allowed.

Laura Van Dyke, program coordinator for tobacco cessation at St. Vincent's Hospital Manhattan, said she had not noticed any difference in the number of smokers seeking to quit. But she anticipated that would change as the law takes hold.

"We're not seeing that increase yet," Van Dyke said. "What we are seeing is that the ban is being discussed in our cessation support groups. It's on everyone's mind."

Covey, of Columbia University, said the ban will likely compel some smokers to quit. But she said the real problem is preventing smoker relapse.

At the end of treatment at the cessation clinic, about half of all patients start smoking again within six months. Covey has begun a study of 400 smokers, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, to determine if extended treatment combined with nicotine replacement prevents relapse.

"There is a chronic relapse disorder that we see. It has been an issue for some time," Covey said. "Hopefully, with this study, we will be able to find out what can stop people from smoking for good."