Cherokee Nation Offering Tobacco Cessation Class
Residents in Cherokee County who want to stop smoking and using tobacco will soon get some help from the Cherokee Nation through the tribe’s Tobacco Cessation program.
The classes will begin on Tuesday, July 14, and run for a total of eight weeks at Kid Connections, located at 816 S. College Ave. Classes begin at 11 a.m. each Tuesday, and there is no charge to attend. Classes are open to the public and you do not need to be a Cherokee citizen or Native American to participate.
“One of our goals is to have healthy Cherokee communities. By helping anyone in the community to stop smoking and using tobacco, we are better able to accomplish that goal,” said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.
Class participants who are Cherokee citizens or Native Americans with a CDIB card will be provided with the stop smoking patches. Other participants will be given a toll-free number for the Oklahoma QUIT Line to request the patches.
Class members also are provided with information to assist them in changing their patterns and behavior, which in turn will help them to stop the tobacco use.
Class participants create a basic support group to assist others who want to quit smoking and using tobacco, and will learn different ways to stop, including tips on what to do with their hands and how to keep motivated.
For more information or to sign up for the course, call Charlie Stilwell, at (918) 458-6989 or by email at charles-stilwell@cherokee.org.