Head of NYS Smokers Quitline in WNY helps people butt out cigarettes — “More people are quitting and current smoking rates are at record lows,” he says
By Brenda Alesii
Andrew Hyland, the chairman of the department of health behavior at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, directs the New York State Smokers Quitline.
He has been with Roswell Park since 1995, working to help people eliminate their tobacco use and ultimately make the Quitline a thing of the past. In Good Health recently spoke with Hyland, a Williamsville resident who earned his Ph.D. in epidemiology and community health from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
Q: Let’s talk numbers. How many people smoke in New York state, according to your research?
A: Throughout the state, 12% of the adult population uses cigarettes or about 1.7 million people. In Western New York, that translates to about 7% of the population, causing 1,500 deaths. In addition, 30% of all cancer deaths are attributed to smoking.
Q: What types of cancer are directly related to smoking?
A: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death. In fact, lung cancer kills more than the next three combined: colon, breast and prostate. Tobacco use is a big deal. About 85% of lung cancers come from combustibles — cigarettes and cigars. Lung cancer is among the deadliest and most aggressive type of the disease; survival is measured in months.
Q: How, then, is it possible that a person who never smokes contracts lung cancer?
A: Smoking is responsible for most lung cancers, but not all. In those cases, the person may have been exposed to secondhand smoke or to radon and other toxins. The good news? Lung cancer rates are decreasing, kids are not starting to smoke, clinical advances have been achieved, and help is available through the Quitline.
Q: With all the restrictions, why is smoking still such an issue?
A: More people are quitting and current smoking rates are at record lows. But smoking has been prevalent for years, especially with the creative marketing used to promote tobacco products and cigarette smoking is still the leading cause of preventable death in the United States.
Factors to reduce cigarette smoking include things that raise the expense of smoking like the recent cigarette excise tax increase, lowering the availability of tobacco retailers, making products that are not appealing to young people, and restrictions on where one can smoke. And there is no such thing as a “smoking gene.”
Some tobacco users rationalize their smoking by thinking nothing bad will happen to them or they cite examples of people who smoked and lived to be 100.
Q: What about other forms of smoking — vaping, for example?
A: Vaping products have grown significantly. Nobody thinks young people using vaping products is a good idea, and about 4% to 5% of adults in the state are e-cigarette users. These products have lower levels of toxins but are not safe.
Q: Is your Quitline a free service?
A: Yes. Our service helps anyone using a nicotine product. We can be reached seven days a week by phone or by texting QUITNOW to 333888 or chat, and at our website: www.nysmokefree.com. Our phone number: 1-866-NY-QUITS.
Q: What should one expect when calling the Quitline?
A: The caller will speak to a trained tobacco treatment specialist, who will help identify smoking triggers, key issues and determine if nicotine replacement therapy is appropriate. A large number of clients have other co-morbidities, which may make them eligible for other resources.
We offer starter kits that help reduce cravings. It is not a magic pill, however. the evidence shows it can help.
Q: Who is your typical client?
A: Most of our clients have a lower income, lower education, lack of private health insurance and experience other mental and physical health challenges. They want to quit but are facing strong headwinds. We offer a free service to help them. We receive on average 100 calls a day across the state.
Q: How is the Quitline funded?
A: We work with a $4 million annual contract with funding from the New York State Department of Health.