Services to help you quit

The NSW Quitline 13 78 48 (13 QUIT) and iCanQuit website

The NSW Quitline is a confidential telephone information and advice service. For the cost of a local call (except mobiles), professional telephone advisors provide encouragement, resources and support to help smokers quit. They are friendly, helpful, non-judgmental and are able to assist smokers at whatever stage they may be at in the quitting process. The Quitline advisors can also provide advice to family and friends of smokers and to health professionals about the best evidence for quitting smoking.

NSW Quitline offers:

• A free callback service
• A Quit kit containing helpful information about quitting - available to download or order in English, Arabic, Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin) and Vietnamese;
• An individually tailored and culturally sensitive service for Aboriginal callers;
• Dedicated language lines in Arabic, Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin) and Vietnamese;
• Callers from other culturally and linguistically diverse communities can also call the Translating and Interpreter Service.

iCanQuit website is designed to motivate people to quit by providing them with the information and tools they need to make a quit attempt. It is interactive and allows smokers to share their stories about previous, current or planned quit attempts.

It provides helpful hints on how to quit as well as a goal tracker and savings calculator so smokers can see the everyday results of quitting.

NSW Health cessation services

Support for patients to managing their nicotine dependence in hospital

The NSW Health Smoke-free Health Care Policy means that all NSW Health buildings and grounds are smoke-free except for designated outdoor smoking areas set up by the local health district. This means patients and visitors to NSW public hospitals and health services who are smokers will have limited ability (if any) to smoke while on the premises. All smokers will be assisted while in hospital to manage symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.

If you are a smoker and you are admitted to a NSW Health public hospital you will be asked about your smoking (how many and how often) to assess your level of nicotine dependence. If clinically appropriate you will be offered free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) while in hospital to manage any cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

Some local health districts have staff who specialise in smoking cessation and can provide further support and advice to smokers to manage their nicotine dependence and to consider a quit attempt on discharge. If this type of support is not available to you while in hospital, staff will talk to you about the NSW Quitline 13 78 48 telephone support service and offer to arrange a referral.​