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Smoking Cessation Contact

Suffolk County Department of Health Services

Office of Health Education: Smoking Cessation

Address:

 3500 Sunrise Highway, Suite 124
P.O. Box 9006
Great River, New York 11739-9006


(631) 853-3162

Smoking Cessation

Cigarette smoking is the number one preventable cause of death and disease in the United States (1). In 2022, more than 28 million adults across the country smoked cigarettes (2). Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke are responsible for more than 480,000 deaths every year nationwide. (1). The impact goes beyond health—tobacco use cost the U.S. over $240 billion in health care expenses in 2018 (3).

These human and financial costs can be reduced by preventing young people from starting, helping current smokers quit, and limiting exposure to secondhand smoke. To address this, Suffolk County has launched a comprehensive tobacco control program. It focuses on preventing youth nicotine addiction through school-based programming, offers free cessation support for those who want to quit, and strictly enforces laws that prohibit tobacco sales to minors, ban flavored vape sales, and protect clean indoor air.

School-based programs

The Office of Health Education offers multiple vaping cessation programs in varying formats, that can all be tailored to fit each school district’s unique needs.

The Vape Out! Campaign is a month-long program that saturates the school community on all things vaping. The four weeks consist of peer education, vaping awareness messaging, mini assemblies, and a Parent Community Night.

Schools may instead opt for one-time assemblies, delivered by Suffolk County’s Public Health Educators. The assemblies will discuss the tobacco industry’s marketing tactics, the ingredients and make-up of vapes and related products, health risks, and addiction support and quitting resources.

Smoking Cessation programs

Helping people break the addiction to nicotine is essential to achieving sustained declines in tobacco use. Suffolk County’s smoking cessation program provides behavior modification and supportive pharmaceuticals to medically eligible participants. All cessation groups and programs are supervised by a nurse practitioner, and services are provided to residents at no cost. Program participants also receive personalized follow-up. We support them in discovering the benefits of a tobacco-free lifestyle.

Counter-marketing and Public Information

Tobacco use has been "glamorized" and "normalized" by decades of tobacco industry advertising. To combat this slick, highly-financed advertising, Suffolk County is presenting "the real truth" about tobacco use. Presentations are available to high schools, colleges and community groups.

Suffolk County is also working with local Kiwanis Clubs to provide resources to help Emergency Room nurses and doctors learn how to help reduce a child’s exposure to secondhand smoke and prevent many childhood illnesses.

Enforcement

Suffolk County is committed to strictly enforcing all state and local laws on tobacco sales and use, including the ban on selling tobacco to anyone under 21 and New York State’s prohibition on flavored nicotine vapor products. The county also limits tobacco advertising near items that appeal to children such as candy, toys, and trading cards, and requires all tobacco products to be kept behind the counter. In addition, Suffolk County enforces both state and county clean indoor air laws to protect residents from secondhand smoke. For more information visit: https://suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/Health-Services/Public-Health-Protection/Tobacco-Vendor-Education

Businesses Guilty of Selling Tobacco Products to Children

Clean Indoor Air Act

Suffolk County Department of Health Services Tobacco Vendor Education Program

Do what's best for you and the ones you love.
Protect your health and theirs.
Quit smoking.
We can help.


References

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, September 17). Cigarette smoking. Retrieved July 30, 2025, from https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/about/index.html|CDC
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, October 8). Burden of cigarette use in the U.S. Retrieved July 30, 2025, from https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/resources/data/cigarette-smoking-in-united-states.html | CDC
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, September 17). Economic trends in tobacco. Retrieved July 30, 2025, from https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/php/data-statistics/economic-trends/index.html

Smoking Cessation Class Schedule

Brought to you by the LEARN TO BE... TOBACCO FREE Program
Pre-registration is required. Please call the numbers listed below.
Registration remains open for each class until the second session.

Monday:
Longwood Public Library
800 Middle Country Road, Middle Island
Dates: October 20, 27 | November 3, 10, 17, 24
Reunion: December 15, 2025
Time: 6:00 – 7:15 PM
Contact: Debora 631-853-2928 or
 Debora.rippel@suffolkcountyny.gov

Tuesday:
Middle Country Public Library, Centereach Branch
101 Eastwood Boulevard, Centereach
Dates: August 26 | September 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Reunion:October 14, 2025
Time: 6:00 – 7:15 PM
Contact: Debora 631-853-2928 or
 Debora.rippel@suffolkcountyny.gov

Wednesday:
Mastic-Moriches-Shirley Community Library
407 William Floyd Parkway, Shirley
Dates: November 5, 12, 19 | December 3, 10, 17
Reunion: January 7, 2025
Time: 6:00 – 7:15 PM
Contact: Debora 631-853-2928 or
 Debora.rippel@suffolkcountyny.gov

Thursday:
North Babylon Public Library
815 Deer Park Avenue, North Babylon
Dates: October 9, 16, 23, 30 | November 6, 13
Reunion: December 4, 2025
Time: 6:00 – 7:15 PM
Contact: Debora 631-853-2928 or
 Debora.rippel@suffolkcountyny.gov

Support Group

In order to attend the support group, you must have attended and completed a full program (6 weeks) of smoking cessation classes. If you have attended our program and are not receiving the support group reminder and would like to, please contact Debora at 631-853-2928. The support group begins at 6:00 PM.

The support group is held on the 1st Wednesday of the month at 6:00 PM at the Medford Public Library, 2151 Horseblock Road, Medford, NY. Please note, if there is a holiday on the 1st Wednesday, the group with take place on the 2nd Wednesday of the month.


New York State Quitline: 1-866-697-8487

Resources

smokefree.gov


NYS Smokers Quitline

1-866-697-8487 or www.nysmokefree.com for free nicotine replacement medications, Opt-to-Quit tobacco program, educational resources


http://www.becomeanex.org/

Online tobacco & vaping cessation program


http://www.truthinitiative.org/

Youth centered vaping education and quit tips


Campaign For Tobacco-Free Kids:
Campaign for
Tobacco Free Kids

Information for youth and parents on tobacco and vaping


Partnership for Drug Free Kids:
http://www.drugfree.org/vaping

“How to Talk to Your Kids about Vaping” Guide


NIDA: National Institute on Drug Abuse
http://www.drugabuse.gov/

Look for “NIDA TEENS”


Nicotine
Anonymous

Tobacco
Action
Coalition of
Long Island

CDC Smoking
& Tobacco

American
Lung
Association

American
Cancer
Society


Reality Check LI

An interactive site for children and teens sponsored by the Tobacco Action Coalition of Long Island.

An interactive site for children and teens sponsored by the Suffolk County Department of Health Services.

Suffolk County Government

H. Lee Dennison Bldg

100 Veterans Memorial Hwy
P.O. Box 6100
Hauppauge, NY 11788

Riverhead County Center

County Road 51
Riverhead, NY 11901