Smoking and Tobacco Cessation Programs

Quit at Duke

Call for an Appointment 919-613-7848

When you’re ready to quit or reduce your smoking or tobacco use, our trained tobacco treatment specialists will customize a program to help you reach your goal at your own pace.
 

Schedule an Appointment to Quit Smoking

You can now schedule an appointment with Quit at Duke through Duke MyChart. Simply log into your MyChart account, select Visits, then Schedule an Appointment. Then choose Tobacco Cessation.

Your First Appointment

To give you the best chance of success, we need to get to know you and find out why you use tobacco -- whether it's to manage stress, because of physical dependence, or for other reasons. We will also ask about what's prompted you to make a change; perhaps it’s your health, finances, or family. That’s why your first appointment -- which can take place in our offices or virtually -- includes meeting with a doctor. Your provider will get to know you, review your medical history, and talk with you about any previous attempts to quit. 

Lung Cancer Screening
Your doctor may recommend that you have a specific type of lung cancer screening, like low-dose computed tomography (LDCT), which uses small levels of radiation to produce an image of your lungs.

Carbon Monoxide Breath Test
You’ll be asked to breathe into a tube attached to a handheld device. This will analyze how much carbon monoxide is in your breath, which gives our treatment specialists helpful information about your tobacco use.

Lung Function Test
Because chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is most often caused by smoking, we want to measure how well your lungs are working. You'll be asked to blow into a tube that's attached to a spirometer. This machine can detect COPD before you develop symptoms.

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Treatment Plan

Before you leave your first appointment, you and your doctor will set a treatment plan that will likely include a combination of medication and counseling. You may also choose a Quit Day -- a date when you want to be tobacco-free. You’ll have follow-up appointments before and after your Quit Day. 

Continued Follow-Up
It often takes more than one attempt to stop using tobacco. Relapse is not failure; it's a learning opportunity. We’ll stick with you for as long as it takes. We can also offer video visits and referrals to support services that are close to your home.

Cost
Your visits may be covered by your insurance. Consult your insurance provider about the potential cost of your care.

Our Locations

Duke Health offers locations throughout the Triangle. Find one near you.

Video: Have COPD? Get Help to Quit Smoking

Stopping smoking is the only way to halt the progression of COPD and preserve the lung function you have left. Taking part in a smoking cessation program that incorporates FDA-approved medications, group and individual check-in sessions, and mindfulness training can increase your chances of quitting smoking for good. Here, Emily Walter, a smoking cessation nurse practitioner at Duke, talks about the challenges of quitting, what to look for in a smoking cessation program, and how to set yourself up for success.

Treatment Options in the Smoking Cessation Program

All of our treatment services are available in-person or by virtual visit through our phone and video telehealth option.

Medications

Doctors may prescribe one or more medications to help you quit smoking or using other forms of tobacco. These include nicotine-replacement products (like a patch or gum) that help reduce your dependency on tobacco. Other medications may address related concerns, like not gaining weight. Our tobacco cessation program is flexible to accommodate your progress.

Counseling

You will be able to choose which of our counseling options is right for you. We offer regular one-on-one sessions with licensed experts. You’ll discuss your progress as well as behavioral and social factors that contribute to tobacco use, and you’ll learn tactics to keep you on track. We also offer family counseling sessions, as your chances of success with quitting increase dramatically if your partner or loved ones also quit.

Mindfulness Group

We offer a free, interactive Mindfulness Training for Smokers group run by licensed experts. The group teaches mindfulness skills to help you quit smoking and provides a community of other people working toward the same goal. This group has been shown to double success rates compared with other behavioral programs.

Call for an Appointment

Why Choose Duke

Intensive Team Approach
Duke takes a comprehensive approach to tobacco cessation by combining medication and counseling services. This concept, which is supported by published guidelines, is the gold standard of tobacco cessation care and has been proven to be more effective than quitting on your own.

Clinical Research
As a leader in tobacco cessation research, we give you access to the most advanced treatment methods through our ongoing clinical trials. To learn more, please visit the Duke Clinical Trials Directory

Education and Training
Duke and the University of North Carolina have partnered to create the Duke-UNC Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training Program accredited by the Council for Tobacco Treatment Training Programs (CTTTP) to educate and develop the next generation of tobacco treatment specialists. 

Mobile and Telehealth Referrals
All of our services are available through virtual visits. We also partner with state and national services to offer alternative resources, like free phone and text quitlines, for those unable to receive care at Duke. And for people looking for other options, we will also research other local resources or programs to assist however we can.

Consistently Ranked Among the Nation’s Best Hospitals

Duke University Hospital is proud of our team and the exceptional care they provide. They are why we are once again recognized as the best hospital in North Carolina, and nationally ranked in 11 adult and 10 pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report for 2024–2025.

Patient Resources for Quitting Smoking

This page was medically reviewed on 10/23/2023