For students trying to quit smoking, UF is offering a new program to help them kick the habit.
The QUIT Program, which began Feb. 4, is available for students who smoke 10 or more cigarettes daily and are registered for spring 2008.
Jane Emmeree, a health educator at GatorWell and program coordinator, said the program provides discounted smoking cessation medication, medical screening and behavioral coaching.
The Health Education Center allocated $20,000 to the Student Health Care Center to start the program.
The funding could last until the end of June depending on how many students take advantage of the opportunity, Emmeree said.
Most of the funding goes toward the discounted smoking cessation medications, which include Chantix, Bupropion and nicotine patches.
Each student enrolled in the program is allowed a discount of $50 a month for three months, Emmeree said.
Without the discount, the costs of the medications range from about $30 to $100.
The program also offers counseling and one-on-one coaching to encourage behavior-modifying strategies.
"Some people think it's a magic pill that you can take and you're crave free, but in reality the psychological part has a lot to do with it too," she said.
