Free help to quit smoking

Although people are now more aware of the health risks related to smoking, it is still a hard habit to kick. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) is giving residents an extra incentive to quit.
On May 3, the city began an initiative that would provide 35,000 smokers with four weeks’ worth of free nicotine replacement therapy patches, instructions on how to use them and information on how to quit smoking.
In order to be eligible for this program, a person must be at least 18 years old, as well as meet other requirements. Residents can call 311 to see if they meet the requirements.
Those who are not eligible can still get assistance in quitting smoking at area hospitals that are a part of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation’s Smoking Cessation Clinics. In Queens, the participating hospitals are Elmhurst Hospital Center, located at 79-01 Broadway, and Queens Hospital Center, located at 82-70 164th Street.