California
Quitline Profile
United States
Quitline: California Smokers' Helpline
Began Operations: August 1992
Website: http://www.nobutts.org/
Standard Hours of Operation
Monday:
07:00 AM - 09:00 PM
Tuesday:
07:00 AM - 09:00 PM
Wednesday:
07:00 AM - 09:00 PM
Thursday:
07:00 AM - 09:00 PM
Friday:
07:00 AM - 09:00 PM
Saturday:
09:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Sunday:
09:00 AM - 09:00 AM
Closed on:
New Year's Day, Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas
Telephone Numbers
Line
Phone Number
Language/Subject
1
(800) NO-BUTTS
English
2
(800) 45-NO-FUME
Spanish
3
(800) 556-5564
Korean
4
(800) 778-8440
Vietnamese
5
(800) 838-8917
Cantonese
6
(800) 838-8917
Mandarin
7
(800) 844-CHEW
Smokeless or chewing tobacco
8
(800) 933-4833
Deaf/Hard of hearing
Supported Languages
Counseling offered in: English, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese
Third-party counseling: 
Deaf/Hard of hearing: 
Phone Counseling
Types:
brief intervention
single-session
multi-session (client-initiated)
multi-session (counselor-initiated)
Length of standard first session: 30 min
Length of standard follow-up session: 10 min
Counseling session topics:
tobacco history
developing a quit plan
setting a quit date
withdrawal symptoms
relapse prevention
weight gain
use of cessation medication
stress management
other
Web-Based Services
quitline information
cessation information
self-help tools
automated e-mail messages
interactive counseling
chat rooms
Cessation Medications
Free Medications
patch
gum
lozenge
nasal spray
inhaler
varenicline
bupropion
Discounted Medications
patch
gum
lozenge
nasal spray
inhaler
varenicline
bupropion
Distribution Methods
voucher
by mail
Other Services
voicemail with callbacks
recorded self-help messages
referral to other health services
mailed info or self-help resources
To receive counseling:
All adult tobacco users in California are eligible to receive free telephone counseling to help them quit. Teens aged 14-17 are also eligible, with the consent of a parent or guardian.
To receive medication:
Currently, adult callers from Los Angeles County are eligible for four weeks of patches, with refills as needed. Adult callers on the Helpline's Asian lines are eligible for a two-week starter of patches. Certain other callers may receive patches as part of participating in Helpline research.
Specialized Materials
youth, under 18
youth, 18-25
older tobacco users, 55+
smokeless tobacco users
pregnant tobacco users
multiple addictions
racial/ethnic populations
lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender
chronic health conditions
low socioeconomic status or Medicaid
low literacy
other
mental health disorders including psychiatric conditions
Fax or electronic referral program:  Yes
Person(s) eligible to refer patients:
certified or trained fax referral providers
clinicians or non-clinicians in a healthcare setting
clinicians or non-clinicians in a community-based organization
other
Available referral methods:
faxed form
e-mail or online
EMR with electronic submission
Tobacco users can be referred if they:
are thinking about quiting
indiciate a readiness to quit within 30 days
are ready to make a quit attempt
are quit and seek help to stay quit
Referred patients contacted within:  Within 48 hours
Other services available to referring providers:
quitline and/or referral brochures
customized referral/consent forms
patient progress reports
customized provider feedback reports
staff training
quitline/referral program newsletter
Referral program contact:
Cherrie Ng
California Smokers' Helpline
(858) 300-1015
y2ng@ucsd.edu
Additional information:
All providers can ASK if patients smoke, ADVISE them to quit and REFER them with a card or brochure.
Smoke-Free Laws
Workplaces: No
Bars: Yes
Restaurants Yes
Tobacco Tax Rates
Current cigarette tax rate: $0.87
Effective date: January 1, 1999
Amount of last increase: $0.50
Callers (Source: NAQC Annual Survey - 2011)
Number of direct calls to the quitline: 107,910
Number of tobacco users receiving services: 23,947
Number of tobacco users registering for Web-based services: Not available
Number of tobacco users referred to the quitline: 1,560
Calculations (Source: NAQC Annual Survey - 2011)
Amount per smoker spent on services and medications: $1.14
Amount per smoker spent on media and promotions: $1.03
Promotional reach: 0.97 %
Treatment reach: 0.71 %
NAQC standard quit rate: 24.60 %
NOTE: Additional quitline data is available online at www.naquitline.org/data/
Context for quitline metrics:
Time period for quit rate data collection: Registration dates: 10/5/09 to 12/1/10 Evaluation dates: 7/1/10 to 6/29/11. Quit rate 95% confidence interval: 22.5-26.6%. Consent obtained for follow-up; consent asked of all callers; consent rate 98%. Average time to follow-up: 210 days. Response rate at follow-up: 59.9%.
Funder of quitline services: California Department of Public Health, California Children and Families Commission (First 5 California)
Operator of counseling services: University of California, San Diego
Funding source(s): Tobacco tax revenues
Profile last updated on March 29, 2013
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