Audio Description for Quitline HCP Video

The spot opens with the logo for the US Department of Health and Human 

Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The title reads 

“Your Support and Referral to a Quitline Can Help Your Patients Quit Smoking.”

VOICEOVER: Your Support and Referral to a Quitline Can Help Your Patients Quit 

Smoking.

We see a series of photos of health care professionals.

VOICEOVER: Do you have patients who smoke? In addition to the cessation 

counseling you provide, referring your patients to a quitline can also help them quit 

smoking. Here’s what happens when someone calls a quitline.

A middle-aged man, ERIC, stands outside a loading dock and talks on the phone

with his quitline coach, NALLELY. Throughout the video, we see several clips 

within the Quitline Call Center and the different scenarios of people speaking on 

the phone with quitline coaches for assistance.

ERIC: Hi. I’ve been thinking about quitting smoking, but I’m not sure where to begin.

NALLELY: It’s great that you’re thinking about quitting. It can be hard to quit, but the 

quitline is here to help you succeed.

We see clips of ALEJANDRO, ERIC, and KATHI as they consider calling the 

quitline.

VOICEOVER: Most people who smoke want to quit and have tried to quit several times 

before. But many aren’t aware that calling a quitline increases the likelihood of quitting. 

Quitlines provide free and confidential coaching to help people who smoke become—

and stay—smoke-free. 

A middle-aged woman, KATHI, talks on the phone with her quitline coach, 

JESSIE. The art card reads “1. Quit plan, 2. Medications, 3. Free tools and 

resources.”

KATHI: I’ve tried to quit smoking a bunch of times on my own but haven’t been able to 

stop for good. So now I’m ready to try something different.

JESSIE: Well, for lots of people, calling a quitline is what they need. When you’re ready, 

I can help you build a plan for quitting, talk to you about medications that might help, 

and tell you about the free tools and resources you can use to quit smoking. 
We see clips of the Quitline Call Center with quitline coaches sitting at desks and 

speaking on the phone with callers.

VOICEOVER: When someone first calls, they’ll be asked a few questions, such as how 

much they smoke, and if they’ve tried to quit before—so the quit coach can make sure 

each caller gets the help they need. Then they’ll talk about putting together a personal 

quit plan, including setting a quit date.

A young man, ALEJANDRO, stands in a parking lot and talks on the phone with 

his quitline coach, JIM. We see them talking back and forth over the phone.

ALEJANDRO: How much does all this cost?

JIM: Quitline services are free for callers, and we have lots of resources to help you. 

ALEJANDRO: Sure, but I’d like to know, is what we talk about private? Do you share 

any of what I say with my insurance or my job?

JIM: Everything we discuss is completely confidential. An exception would be if you 

mentioned an emergency or crisis that was a clear danger to you or someone else.

We see clips of ALEJANDRO, ERIC, and KATHI as they consider calling the 

quitline and talk on the phone with their quitline coaches. 

The art card shows examples of free quitting resources: “Smokefree TXT 

program, CDC.gov/quit, Smokefree.gov, QuitSTART app.”

VOICEOVER: Quit coaches can help callers understand tobacco dependence, nicotine 

withdrawal, cravings, and triggers. They can also help callers learn ways to cope with 

difficult situations and let them know about resources that can help them quit. These 

include texting programs, websites, and mobile apps.

The art card shows examples of over-the-counter Nicotine Replacement Therapy 

(NRT): patches, gum, lozenges. It reads “Talk to your patients about medication 

options.”

VOICEOVER: Quit coaches can provide callers with information on cessation 

medications and how to correctly use them, including nicotine patches, gum, and 

lozenges. 

The art card shows examples of prescription medications (non-nicotine): 

varenicline and bupropion. It reads “Talk to your patients about medication 

options.”

VOICEOVER: Coaches may also encourage callers to talk to their healthcare providers 

about medications.
The art card shows example of a starter kit. It reads “Talk to your patients about 

medication options.”

VOICEOVER: In some states, callers may be able to get a starter kit of cessation 

medications – like the nicotine patch or gum - from the quitline.

ERIC stands in an office break room and speaks to the camera.

ERIC: Just knowing that others had used these techniques to stop quit smoking really

helped me. It told me that these things actually work. 

ALEJANDRO stands in a mail room and speaks to the camera.

ALEJANDRO: What’s great about the Quitline is that they help you prepare to tackle 

tough days, when you may feel like you just can’t do it anymore. When I needed extra 

help, they were there for me.

The art card reads “How Can you Help: E-Referral to your state quitline, Fax 

referral to your state quitline, Referring patients to 1-800-QUIT-NOW, 

CDC.gov/quit, Smokefree.gov.” It includes the logo for the US Department of 

Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

VOICEOVER: Combined with your ongoing support, referring your patients to a quitline 

may be just what they need to quit smoking for good.