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Quit smoking ideas available For information on the Quit and Win Campaign, teen smoking and smoking cessation programs covered by the South Carolina state insurance, visit the Wellness Wednesday booth from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 30 in the Children’s Hospital lobby.  Quit and Win Campaign Join the Quit and Win Campaign and qualify for the $1,000 grand prize.  You must quit smoking by May 31 to be eligible for the prizes. For additional information on the campaign, sponsored by the Smoke Free Lowcountry Coalition South Carolina Cancer Alliance, call 746-3875 or e-mail smokefreelowcountry@yahoo.com. Registration forms will also be available at Health 1st’s Wellness Wednesday, May 30. Study for teen and young adult smokers The U.S. spends almost $90 billion annually on tobacco-associated health care costs.  Unfortunately, cigarettes are among the most addictive substances known.  Particularly, tobacco use among adolescents is an area of considerable public health concern.    Smoking cessation treatment and non-treatment studies in adolescent and young adult smokers is offered by MUSC’s Himanshu Upadhyaya, M.D.,  and a research group. The group has been conducting studies to find out the mechanisms involved in nicotine dependence and better treatments for adolescents and young adults.  Smoking cessation treatment is offered at no cost for people 12 to 21 years old.    More information about the programs can be found at http://www.musc.edu/asap or call 792-2388 or the South Carolina quit line at (877) 448-7848. Insurance covered smoking cessation programs A variety of treatments are available to help people quit smoking, including nicotine replacement therapy (e.g., nicotine patch, gum, lozenge), Zyban, nortryptyline, clonidine etc. All of these work best in combination with smoking cessation counseling and/or behavior therapy.   For information on programs available through the state health insurance, visit http://www.musc.edu/medcenter/health1st/smokingCessation.htm. Editor's note: The preceding column was brought to you on behalf of Health 1st. Striving to bring various topics and representing numerous employee wellness organizations and committees on campus, this weekly column seeks to provide MUSC, MUHA and UMA employees with current and helpful information concerning all aspects of health.     Friday, May 25, 2007 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.