Thanks to the Center for Healthy Living, living tobacco-free is within reach

The Center for Healthy Living on Purdue's West Lafayette campus has many approved tobacco cessation programs and other forms of support available, including classroom, portal and telephone options.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more people in the United States are addicted to nicotine than to any other drug.

The next tobacco cessation classroom option begins April 12 and runs through May 17. Sessions will take place on Wednesdays from noon to 12:50 p.m. in University Hall, Room 303. The workshop will offer tips and techniques to assist participants in their journey to quit smoking or to continue living a tobacco-free life. Special focus will be placed on behavior change, overcoming withdrawal/cravings, coping with stress, managing weight, preventing relapses and more. Registration is due by April 11.

Employees can now use the patient portal to register for any upcoming workshops by following these steps:

* Log in and click the envelope icon in the top right corner of the page.

* Click the New button in the top right corner of the page.

* Click the Add Recipient button and select Wellness Program Registration, then click Select.

* Type Workshop Registration as the subject.

* Enter your name, contact information and which workshop you would like to attend in the body of the email, then click Send. 

Employees without computer access can call 765-494-5505 to register.

The workshop will be led by Debra Crume-Nagel, registered nurse and certified health and wellness coach at the Center for Healthy Living.

According to Crume-Nagel, it is very difficult to quit tobacco use in any form due to the addictive nature of nicotine. 

“Quitting smoking or using tobacco in other forms really is hard to do and sometimes may take more than one attempt,” Crume-Nagel says. “Our programs are in place to assist and support employees who are or who have struggled with tobacco use. We work side-by-side with the participants to help them understand everything that comes with quitting tobacco use, such as overcoming cravings, coping with stress, managing weight and more. We are here to help.”

Tobacco cessation aids are covered at 100 percent on Purdue health plans, and Crume-Nagel, as well as the other health coaches, can help participants determine what over-the-counter or prescription tobacco cessation aid or aids might be best for them.

Aside from the health benefits resulting from not smoking, there are also financial benefits, including a waiver of the tobacco-user additional premium on an employee’s benefits premium. As a reminder, employees who certify as tobacco users (a person who has used tobacco, including cigars, cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco or any other tobacco product in the past 12 months) during open enrollment each year will pay an additional $500 tobacco-user premium on their medical benefits.

There are still ways for employees to earn a partial waiver of the 2017 additional premium. For those who complete a cessation program and turn in their completion certificates to Hattie Sturgill in the Human Resources-Benefits area, health care premiums will be reduced to reflect the non-tobacco user rate for the next payroll period. These individuals will still need to complete an additional tobacco cessation program between Sept. 1 and Nov. 10 to receive the lower premiums for 2018.

In addition to the added tobacco user premium on the medical plan, those who have used tobacco in the last 12 months will see a higher premium on additional employee term life elections through Minnesota Life. When employees become tobacco-free for 12 months, they may complete the Tobacco User Certification Form and return it to Human Resources for a waiver of the additional medical premium and to lower the additional employee term life rates. The additional medical premium will be waived for the remainder of the calendar year after allowing appropriate time for processing of the form.

For more information about the additional premium, visit the tobacco-user additional premium frequently asked questions page.

For tobacco cessation options specific to regional campuses, visit their respective websites:

Purdue University Northwest

Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne

Anyone with questions about the waivers and resources available may contact Human Resources at 765-494-2222 or hr@purdue.edu or the regional campus Human Resources departments.