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Getting patients to quit and remain tobacco-free requires ongoing treatment that’s customized, flexible, easy to use, and free to the user. Primary care providers are well versed in the management of chronic, treatable conditions. It’s time for primary care doctors to light the way toward getting patients to quit tobacco.
Survey highlights lack of awareness about the dangers of tobacco use
Is live with more on this. it's surprising who is proposing this proposal. >> reporter: that's right the american lung association says there are better ways to get people to quit, but a utah lawmaker disagrees. utah state representative republican paul ray wants smokers on medicaid to pay a co-pay and has introduced a bill to require it. >> we are not going to give you free healthcare and let you smoke. >> reporter: he figures those willing to pay 7 bucks for a pack of smokes. >> $2 or 3 tkhr-rz for a co-pay is nothing. >> reporter: the charge goes away if the recipient enters a smoking cessa...
It's actually a bad idea. alicia acuna joins us from the denver bureau with more on this. who is saying this is not a good idea? >> hi jenna. aside from smoking, the american lung association, that organization tells fox news that it predicts more people will have heart attacks and develop lung disease if this bill passes, the argument being with a higher copay for smokers, chances are folks on a limited income won't want to pay more for a doctor's visit. >> people have to pay out of pocket, they tend to not seek out that treatment. so smoking cessation being harder -- part of that treatment, ...