Access to Cessation Services

This grade tells you how well your state is doing in providing access to medications and counseling to help tobacco users quit. Quitting is hard. Many tobacco users must try several times before they finally stop for good. Their chances of quitting greatly increase if they can get medications and counseling to help them.

States need to ensure their state regulated private insurance plans, plans offered to state employees and Medicaid programs cover all seven Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications and all three forms of counseling that are proven to help smokers quit. Additionally, they need to make sure all tobacco users have easy access to these treatments. This is especially important for people on Medicaid, who smoke at rates over twice as high as people on private insurance. States also need to invest in services that help people quit tobacco use over the phone, called quitlines, at adequate levels.