Some Smokers Motivated to Quit to Protect Themselves Against Coronavirus

Some people calling California’s Smokers’ Helpline say they are motivated to quit because of the coronavirus, according to NPR.

Early research suggests smokers who develop COVID-19 may be far more likely to need intensive treatment compared with people who don’t smoke, the article notes. Public health agencies in California are using information about the link between smoking and the coronavirus in their social media and public outreach messages.

The California helpline, which offers free advice to quit smoking, said calls in March were down, which staff said was likely due to people being too stressed to think about quitting. But among people who did call, some said they wanted to quit because of the pandemic.

One man in his mid-20s said he called after reading an article about how even young people who smoke may have more severe health complications from COVID-19, said Nallely Espina, a helpline counselor.