Break free from chewing and dipping 

Join the Great American Spit Out and let VA help you stop chewing and dipping for good 

It’s often not easy to stop chewing or dipping. Tobacco is addictive and cravings are real. That’s why, for the Great American Spit Out this Feb. 19, Veterans should know that VA will provide them with tools to help them “Quit Like a Pro.”  

“They’re very supportive,” said Michael, an Air Force Veteran referring to VA clinicians who treated him for tobacco use. “They’re here to help you and they’ll do anything they can to help you get through it.” He tried to stop using tobacco several times before succeeding with the help of the prescription medication varenicline and a tobacco treatment group at VA. 

Breaking free and crushing cravings 

VA provides medications—including nicotine replacement gum, patches and lozenges that help Veterans manage cravings and withdrawal symptoms. VA also provides counseling that helps Veterans build practical skills to change their tobacco use behaviors.   

You may feel like tobacco has a hold on you that can’t be broken. But when you use medication and counseling in combination, your chances of breaking free from chew and dip—for good—increase significantly. Research and real-life experience show that’s true. 

Here’s another reason for optimism: Winning against cravings gets easier with time and support. After a week without tobacco, cravings become less intense and frequent. After a month, they may only last a few seconds.    

Enjoying the benefits 

Why even try? Because the benefits of quitting are so great—and even if you try to quit and don’t succeed, you’ll learn something that can help you the next time you try to stop.  

Think smokeless tobacco is harmless? Think again. It’s loaded with harmful chemicals that can cause tooth loss, cavities, gum damage and oral cancer, and increase your risk for heart disease and stroke. It also causes stained teeth and bad breath, and it steals your ability to taste.  

But stopping reverses the effects, and you’ll experience some benefits quickly. Just 20 minutes after you stop, your heart rate and blood pressure begin to lower. Within three months, mouth sores begin to heal.   

The longer you stay away from tobacco, the higher your chances of keeping your teeth and avoiding oral, throat, esophageal and pancreatic cancer. Although stopping at any age provides benefits, the earlier you stop the more likely you are to avoid these negative health impacts. 

Additionally, quitting smokeless tobacco benefits your loved ones. You can serve as a role model for children, siblings, parents and friends, showing them the value of healthy routines and the ability to change unhealthy ones.  

Making this quit stick 

VA’s personalized treatments and supports can set you up for success. Here are several easy ways to get started: 

• Connect with your VA provider to learn more about the treatment options available and to find the combination of treatments that works best for you. 
• Call Quit VET at 1-855-QUIT-VET (1-855-784-8838) for counseling and help with developing a plan to stop chewing or dipping tobacco. Quit VET quit coaches offer counseling in English or Spanish and offer continued support through follow-up calls.  
• Sign up for SmokefreeVET or text VET to 47848 to receive free daily motivators, reminders and tips to help you push past roadblocks. Para inscribirse en SmokefreeVET en español, manda el texto VETesp al 47848.    

Visit VA’s Tobacco and Health website to learn more about treatments and the resources that can help you quit.