Online Freshstart Class Begins March 1

• Free classes offer tips, group support, and other resources to successfully quit.
• Online classes held March 1, 8, and 15 at 12 PM CST.
• Group size is limited — register by emailing Be Well at NPL or calling (615) 852.5780.

If you’re ready to make a serious effort to quit tobacco, you shouldn’t have to do it alone.

And at Nashville Public Library (NPL), you won’t have to.

Beginning Monday, March 1, at 12 PM CST, the library’s Be Well at NPL initiative is taking Freshstart — a free, multi-session group program to help tobacco users quit — online.

Developed by the American Cancer Society, Freshstart guides participants through making the decision to quit, planning to quit, preparing for their first quit day, and staying tobacco-free. The weekly meetings offer group support, practical tips, coping techniques, and access to local resources.

“We use Freshstart because it’s evidence-based, and participants receive social support from each other,” said Elizabeth Roth, program coordinator for Be Well at NPL. “Ours is also one of the few completely free group cessation programs in Nashville that doesn’t require prior membership or affiliation to attend.”

While the materials are written for smokers, Roth said the program can be just as effective for e-cigarette and smokeless tobacco users.

Liz Movius, a Freshstart mentor at the Southeast location, said the program is perfect for people determined to live tobacco-free.

As a former smoker, Movius would know.

“When I decided to quit smoking, I did it on my own, and it was incredibly hard. If I had known that a program like this existed, I definitely would have taken advantage of it,” Movius said. “It makes it easier to stick with the decision to quit, which, for me at least, was the hardest part.”

The online sessions are hosted on Zoom. Participants can join with either a phone or computer, or by phone call if internet access isn’t available. Slots for the class are limited, so please register in advance by emailing Be Well at NPL or calling (615) 852.5780.

For those unable to attend Freshstart, Roth recommends the Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine. The line offers dedicated coaches who guide callers through making a plan and connect them to educational and local resources.

The QuitLine can be reached by dialing 1.800.QUIT.NOW (1.800.784.8669).

About Be Well at NPL

Be Well at NPL provides free wellness programming at library branch locations and connects you to trusted health resources found online, in our stacks, and in the community. Programs range from weekly yoga to cooking classes to blood pressure screenings. Through partnerships with community health organizations and local health experts, Be Well at NPL provided programming to nearly 32,000 Nashvillians last year.

Learn more about Be Well at NPL on our website, and check our events calendar for upcoming Be Well events.

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