Quit Partner FAQs

Quit Partner is Minnesota’s family of commercial tobacco cessation programs, offering free quit services and support to Minnesota residents who use any form of commercial tobacco, including cigarettes, e-cigarettes/vapes, and chew.

Quit Partner offers many quit support options and resources so that Minnesota residents can find the way to quit commercial tobacco that works best for them.

Free support includes phone and online coaching; text, email, and web programs; and quit medication (nicotine patches, gum or lozenges) delivered by mail.

Quit Partner also provides specialized programs for people living with mental illnesses or substance use disorders, American Indian communities (American Indian Quitline), pregnant and post-partum women, and youth under the age of 18 (My Life, My Quit™).

The American Indian Quitline and My Life, My Quit™ are available regardless of insurance status. The standard program, the behavioral health program, and the pregnancy/post-partum program are available to under- and uninsured Minnesota residents.

All Minnesota residents can call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (784-8669), and they will be directed to the appropriate program, whether it’s through Quit Partner or their health insurer.

Quit Partner is administered by the Minnesota Department of Health, with Quitline services provided by National Jewish Health, the nation’s leading respiratory hospital and largest, non-profit provider of Quitline services.

Quit Partner launched on April 1, 2020, and has provided support to more than 18,000 Minnesotans in their efforts to quit commercial tobacco. Free quitting help for Minnesotans was previously offered by QUITPLAN Services, which closed in early 2020.

What support is available?

Support is available for individuals who are trying to quit using commercial tobacco products, including (but not limited to) cigarettes, e-cigarettes/vapes, and chew. The free support includes personalized coaching, email and text support, educational materials, and quit medication (nicotine patches, gum or lozenges) delivered by mail. Specialized programs are available for pregnant and post-partum women, people living with mental illnesses and/or substance use disorders, American Indian communities, and youth.

What are the hours of operation?

Phone coaching is available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day at 1-800-QUIT-NOW

Online chat is available Monday–Friday from 8am–10pm and Saturday–Sunday from 10am–8pm.

Note: We are closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas days. We have shorter hours (8 am – 6:30 pm central time) on Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, the day after Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve.

How long will it take to receive nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)?

On average, participants receive NRT within 2-3 business days of requesting it.

What will people be able to access through web enrollment?

The offerings available through web enrollment are the same as through phone enrollment. Individuals can access nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), coaching, and information resources through the web, and opt in to texting and email.

How long does an intake phone call usually take?

On average, 15 minutes to register for coaching and on average 10-15 minutes per coaching call.

Who are the cessation coaches?

All coaches have a Bachelor’s degree with a preferred concentration in psychology, social work or other human services fields. The coaches complete training approved by the Council on Tobacco Treatment Training Programs and are Tobacco Treatment Specialists.

How do health professionals and community organizations refer to Quit Partner?

Anyone who advises, counsels or treats individuals can refer an individual to Quit Partner services. This includes professionals such as health care providers, school nurses, counselors and religious leaders. It’s easy to refer by web or fax, and when you refer someone, Quit Partner will reach out to them within 24 hours. This includes professionals such as health care providers, school nurses, counselors and religious leaders. It’s easy to refer by web or fax. When you refer someone, Quit Partner will reach out to them within 24 hours.

What support will be available through the AI Quitline?

Participants that identify as American Indian/Alaska Native can enroll in the AI Quitline and receive up to 10 coaching calls with a dedicated American Indian Tobacco Cessation Coach and 12 weeks of combination NRT (patches/gum or patch/lozenge). Individuals can enroll two times per 12-month period. Individuals will also be able to enroll in other offerings such as email or text.

Are the coaches for the American Indian Quitline American Indian themselves?

Yes, all American Indian Quitline coaches in the new program are American Indian.

Is there a separate American Indian Quitline phone number and website?

Yes, the phone number is 1-833-9AI-QUIT (1-833-924-7848) and the website is aiquit.com. However, information and links to the American Indian Quitline are available on QuitPartnerMN.com

What support is available to youth through My Life, My Quit ™?

My Life, My Quit™ offers up to 5 coaching sessions through text to chat, online chat, and phone calls, as well as youth-specific materials.

What ages can use My Life, My Quit™ offerings?

My Life, My Quit™ is available to youth ages 13-17. Resources are available at www.mylifemyquit.com for parents/guardians, educators, healthcare professionals, and community organizations serving youth of all ages.

Will youth under the age of 18 be able to get nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)?

No.

What is the phone number for My Life, My Quit™?

The phone number is 1-855-891-9989.

What is the website URL for My Life, My Quit™?

The URL is www.mylifemyquit.com.

Can youth enroll without parental consent?

Yes.

Are youth-specific materials available for parents, educators, and others?

Yes, visit mylifemyquit.com and click Resources, or visit the Minnesota Department of Health’s E-cigarettes and Vaping (https://www.health.mn.gov/ecigarettes) page.

Who is the behavioral health program for?

The program is for people living with behavioral health conditions such as, anxiety, depression, bi-polar disorder, ADHD, PTSD, schizophrenia, and/or substance use disorder.

What support is offered for the behavioral health program?

If an individual enrolls in the behavioral health program, they will be able to receive 7 coaching calls and 12 weeks of combination NRT (patch/gum or patch/lozenge). Individuals can enroll two times per 12-month period. Individuals will also be able to enroll in other offerings such as email or text services.

How does someone enroll?

During the quit partner enrollment process, if any individual indicates they want to participate in a phone coaching program and have a behavioral health condition, they will have the option to join the behavioral health phone coaching program.

What if an individual is already enrolled in a different behavioral health program - can they still get free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)?

Individuals would still be able to receive a two-week starter kit of NRT, but to get the additional NRT, they would need to enroll in the behavioral health program.

What support is offered for the pregnancy and post-partum program?

If an individual enrolls in the pregnancy and post-partum phone coaching program, they will be able to receive 9 coaching calls with the same female coach and 8 weeks of NRT (4 during pregnancy & 4 during post-partum; with medical authorization). Individuals will also be able to enroll in other offerings such as email or text.

How does someone enroll?

During the quit partner enrollment process, if any individual indicates they want to participant in a phone coaching program and are pregnant or post-partum, they will have the option to join the pregnancy/post-partum phone coaching program.

Is the Quit Partner line TTY accessible?

Yes, through the number 1-877-777-6534.

Who provides the Quit Partner programs?

MDH is contracting with National Jewish Health to provide all cessation programs.

Will callers enrolled in the program get the same coach for every call?

American Indian Quitline enrollees will always receive coaching from someone who is American Indian. Enrollees in the pregnancy/post-partum program will be paired with the same female coach for every call. Other enrollees may not get paired with the same coach for every call, but majority of the time the coaches have a consistent schedule, so there is a chance that could happen.

What happens if an individual misses a coaching call?

Once an individual enrolls in a program, they will schedule coaching calls with a cessation coach. If the individual cannot be reached after three tries, the participant will have 90 days to reach back out to National Jewish Health to continue their program. If they do not, their enrollment will close. Individuals are eligible for two enrollments per year through Quit Partner.

Are calls available in other languages?

If an individual prefers to use the national Asian Smokers’ Quitline, available in Korean, Cantonese, Mandarin, or Vietnamese, they will be transferred. National Jewish Health uses LanguageLine Solutions, which connects Quit Partner coaches and enrollees with an interpreter through three-way phone calls. LanguageLine provides interpretation for over 200 languages, including Hmong.

How do I reach Quit Partner by text?

Minnesota residents between the ages of 13 and 24 can now text “Start” to 36072 to get tips and connect with a live coach for support — all totally free.

What kind of support can someone get by texting?

Teens (ages 13 to 17) who text “Start” to 36072 will be connected to My Life, My Quit, a 100% confidential and free program made specifically for teens. When young adults (ages 18 to 24) text Quit Partner, they’ll also get free, live support.

If someone is interested in one of Quit Partners specialized programs, including the American Indian Quitline, the Quit Partner Pregnancy and Post-Partum Program or the Behavioral Health Program, they can text “Start” to 36072 to get answers to some questions. From there, a coach will connect them to Quit Partner with a phone call to learn more.

What is the URL for the Quit Partner website?

The URL is www.QuitPartnerMN.com.

What support is available online or through web enrollment?

Whether a person signs up online or over the phone, the free support we offer is the same. People will be able to access coaching, quit medications and information resources through the web, and they’ll have the ability to opt in to texting and email support programs. Individuals who enroll in the web program will also get access to a dashboard with additional supports and resources.

Do participants need to register online to receive information on quitting?

Anyone wanting more information can check out QuitPartnerMN.com for tips on preparing to quit, making a quit plan, calculating savings, health benefits of quitting, advice about using nicotine patches, gum or lozenges effectively and view success stories. Once they’re ready for more comprehensive support, they can call or easily sign up online.

How can we best promote Quit Partner?

We encourage you to share information about Quit Partner through your website, social media, newsletters, handouts and other channels. Visit the Downloadable Materials page to find flyers, postcards, a poster and more ways to share information about Quit Partner.

How is Quit Partner promoted statewide?

MDH relies on partners, grantees, and Quit Partner Ambassadors throughout the state to help promote the program and ensure that support reaches those disproportionately affected by commercial tobacco. Quit Partner is promoted through a comprehensive statewide paid media plan, including digital and social media, search engine marketing, print, billboards, radio, television, and streaming video. In addition, Quit Partner is promoted through a comprehensive statewide paid media plan, including digital and social media, search engine marketing, print, billboards, radio, television, and streaming video.

Is Quit Partner the same as QUITPLAN Services?

No. While the services are similar, QUITPLAN Services was a separate program that closed operations in early 2020.

Why did QUITPLAN Services close?

QUITPLAN Services was funded by ClearWay Minnesota, an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing commercial tobacco’s harm. The funding for ClearWay Minnesota ended in 2021, so all of their programs closed out. ClearWay Minnesota and MDH worked closely together during the transition period to ensure Minnesotans would always have access to a free, comprehensive cessation program.