Searching for smoking cessation near me in Covington, LA? That help is available at Total Health Urgent Care, and our services page describes smoking cessation treatment as an “Evaluation and treatment plan to include education on smoking cessation, techniques for successful outcome, prescription medication as needed.” You can walk in any day from 7AM to 7PM. The Great American Smokeout on Thursday, November 19 is a natural quit date.
Quit-smoking help at Total Health, at a glance
- What the visit covers: an evaluation, a treatment plan, education on quitting and techniques for success, plus a prescription when you need one, per our services page.
- When: 7AM until 7PM daily, and our home page says you won’t need an appointment.
- Self-pay price: a $130 office visit, which our pricing and insurance page says takes in exams, any referrals and “any prescribing of medication.” Phone (985) 400-5370 and ask for an estimate.
- Insurance: most major health insurance plans are taken here, with direct billing to insurers, the same pricing page says.
- Free coaching on the side: Louisiana’s quitline offers free coaching sessions and free shipments of patches, gum or lozenges, per the Quit With Us, Louisiana counseling page.
Where can I get smoking cessation near me on the Northshore?
Right here in Covington. Our home page gives the spot: Suite A of 73015 Hwy 25, close to where Highway 190 crosses Highway 25, which puts us a bit north of downtown Covington. That page names Madisonville, St Benedict, Mandeville, Folsom, Abita Springs and Franklinton among the communities we serve, along with the rest of St. Tammany Parish.
Typed urgent care near me because today’s the day you want to quit? That works fine here: we’re a walk-in clinic for urgent needs, and we do primary care too. Come in for that first visit whenever it suits you. If you’d like to check in with the same person as your plan goes along, our primary care page notes that booking ahead lets you keep seeing one provider, “but you are always welcome to walk in.”
What happens at a smoking cessation visit?
Expect a conversation and a clear plan. Our services page lists an evaluation, a treatment plan, education on smoking cessation and quit techniques, and medication by prescription when it’s needed. National guidance points the same way. The federal U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, in its 2021 recommendation on tobacco smoking cessation in adults, tells clinicians to ask all adults about tobacco use, advise them to stop, and provide behavioral interventions plus FDA-approved medication to nonpregnant adults who use tobacco. That USPSTF page also notes the topic is being updated.
Why see someone at all? Support changes the odds. The Smoking Cessation Interventions review in American Family Physician (2022) says “Almost one-half of people who smoke try to quit each year; however, only up to 1 in 20 of those who quit without support achieve abstinence for at least six months.” That AAFP review goes on: “Brief discussions with clinicians can increase cessation rates by two-thirds, and more intensive treatment doubles the chances of quitting.”
How many people are trying to quit?
Plenty. CDC’s Adult Smoking Cessation, United States, 2022 report, reprinted on PubMed Central, found that “In 2022, approximately two thirds (67.7%) of the 28.8 million U.S. adults who smoked wanted to quit, and approximately one half (53.3%) made a quit attempt, but only 8.8% quit smoking.” That CDC report also found that “Among those who tried to quit, 38.3% used treatment (i.e., counseling or medication).”
Closer to home, America’s Health Rankings shows on its Smoking in Louisiana page that 15.0% of Louisiana adults smoke, based on 2024 data, ranking the state 46th, against 11.6% for the United States. The American Lung Association’s January 2026 State of Tobacco Control release for Louisiana says tobacco use is “claiming the lives of 7,210 state residents each year.”
Which quit smoking medication works best?
The best one is the one that fits your health and habits, which is why the FDA says to “Talk to your health care provider to determine the best course of treatment and which smoking cessation products might work best for you.” The FDA’s page on FDA-approved and FDA-cleared cessation products adds that a provider may weigh your age, pregnancy or breastfeeding, and medical history such as heart disease, diabetes, depression, asthma and blood pressure. Smokefree.gov, from the National Cancer Institute, says on its quit medications page that “Medications can double your chances of quitting for good.”
We built this table ourselves; it isn’t a chart that smokefree.gov, the FDA or MedlinePlus published. Every cell names where its fact comes from.
Table sources: smokefree.gov Using Nicotine Replacement Therapy, smokefree.gov Medications Can Help You Quit, MedlinePlus varenicline and MedlinePlus bupropion.
A few cautions from those agencies. Smokefree.gov’s Busting NRT Myths page says “Pregnant women, teens, and people with serious health issues should talk to their doctor before using NRT.” That page also says “NRT products can be used safely together.” Its example pairs a long-acting patch with a short-acting lozenge. According to the FDA cessation products page, over-the-counter NRTs “are approved for sale to people age 18 and older.”
Two other options come up a lot, and neither belongs on that table. The first is cytisinicline, which isn’t FDA-approved yet. Achieve Life Sciences announced in June 2026 that it received a Complete Response Letter from the FDA on its cytisinicline application, and its second quarter 2026 update anticipates potential FDA approval in the first half of 2027. Vapes aren’t on the approved list either. Smokefree.gov’s What We Know About Vaping page says “E-cigarettes are not approved by the FDA as a quit smoking aid.”
Is there a free smoking cessation program near me?
Yes, and it works by phone, text or chat. Louisiana’s quitline, Quit With Us, Louisiana, lists “five, free personal coaching sessions” on its counseling page and says “participants can get free shipments of patches, gum or lozenges.” The program’s home page says the resources and support it offers are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To start, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or text READY to 21586, per that counseling page. Smokefree.gov’s Speak to an Expert page explains that 1-800-QUIT-NOW connects you directly to your own state’s quitline.
A quitline and a clinic visit pair well. Smokefree.gov’s Explore Quit Methods page says “Combining counseling with medication is more effective than either counseling or medication by itself”. The quitline brings the coaching, and our services page covers prescriptions as needed. You may also have heard of Louisiana’s Smoking Cessation Trust. It says that effective 07/12/2022, it accepts no new applications for membership, while it keeps serving existing members.
How do I make a quit plan before the Great American Smokeout?
Start with the date. Smokefree.gov’s Build Your Quit Plan tool says “Pick a day in the next two weeks.” Plan in early November and Thursday, November 19 lands right in that window. For almost 50 years, the American Cancer Society has held the Smokeout on the third Thursday of November, and its history of the Great American Smokeout page encourages people to use the date “to make a plan to quit, or plan in advance and initiate a smoking cessation plan on the day of the event.”
Smokefree.gov’s tool walks through five steps:
- Choose your quit date, preferably one that isn’t already likely to be stressful.
- Figure out what smoking costs you by entering how many cigarettes you smoke and what a pack costs.
- Pick out why you’re quitting, since knowing your reasons can help you stay motivated.
- Know your triggers, the places, situations and feelings that make you want to smoke.
- Set yourself up for success by deciding who you’ll reach out to for support, how you’ll get expert help, and how you’ll distract yourself when an urge hits.
That fifth step is where a visit with us, and that free quitline coaching, can come in.
How long does nicotine withdrawal last?
The roughest stretch is usually short. Smokefree.gov’s Nicotine Withdrawal page says “the worst withdrawal symptoms usually last less than two weeks, but that time can be really tough.” The MedlinePlus Nicotine and tobacco article says symptoms appear within 2 to 3 hours after you last use tobacco, and “For those who are quitting, symptoms peak about 2 to 3 days later.” That MedlinePlus article lists intense craving for nicotine, anxiety, depression, drowsiness or trouble sleeping, headaches, increased appetite and weight gain, and problems concentrating among the common symptoms.
When a craving hits, smokefree.gov’s How to Manage Cravings page suggests you:
- Keep your mouth busy with a stick of gum, hard candy or more water.
- Stop what you’re doing and switch to something different.
- Go for a walk or jog, since physical activity, even in short bursts, can help you beat a craving.
- Take slow, deep breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth, 10 times or until you feel more relaxed.
- Head to a public place where smoking isn’t allowed.
Medicine can take the edge off, too. Smokefree.gov’s Managing Nicotine Withdrawal page says “Quit smoking medications can help reduce symptoms of nicotine withdrawal and make quitting easier.”
Does hypnosis help you quit smoking?
The evidence is thin. Cochrane’s summary of its review on hypnotherapy for smoking cessation concludes “There is insufficient evidence to determine whether hypnotherapy is more effective for smoking cessation than other forms of behavioural support or unassisted quitting.” On acupuncture, Cochrane’s acupuncture and related interventions review summary says “Acupuncture was less effective than nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and not shown to be better than counselling.” The NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health reaches a similar view on its Quitting Smoking page. Neither hypnosis nor acupuncture appears on our services page.
What changes in your body after you quit smoking?
Some of it starts within minutes. The American Cancer Society’s Health Benefits of Quitting Smoking Over Time page gives this timeline:
- A few minutes after quitting: “Your heart rate drops.”
- 24 hours to a few days after quitting: nicotine levels in your blood drop to zero, and the carbon monoxide level drops to normal.
- 1 to 12 months after quitting: “Coughing and shortness of breath decrease.”
- 1 to 2 years after quitting: “Your risk of heart attack drops dramatically.”
- 10 years after quitting: your lung cancer risk is about half that of a person who still smokes.
That ACS page also says “quitting at any age can give back years of life that would be lost by continuing to smoke.” An early cough isn’t unusual, either. The NHS page What could happen when you quit smoking says “you may notice an increase in coughing or phlegm”, which it calls a good sign that your body is cleaning out your airways. For a cough that hangs around, our guide on how long bronchitis lasts covers more.
Heading into the colder months, the American Lung Association’s Learn About Pneumonia page lists “individuals who smoke cigarettes” among the people at increased risk for pneumonia. And if weight gain worries you, the MedlinePlus weight gain after quitting smoking page says “On average, people gain 5 to 10 pounds (2.27 to 4.54 kilograms) in the months after they give up smoking.” That page suggests getting active, which also helps with cravings.
Does insurance cover smoking cessation?
Often it does, though plans vary. HealthCare.gov’s list of preventive services for adults includes “Tobacco use screening for all adults and cessation interventions for tobacco users” among the services that must be covered by all Marketplace plans and many others with no copayment or coinsurance. The page also warns that coverage may vary and a $0 cost isn’t promised in every case. In 2025, the Supreme Court upheld the ACA’s preventive services coverage requirement in Kennedy v. Braidwood Management, as KFF’s analysis of the ruling explains.
For your visit here, our pricing and insurance page says this practice accepts most major health insurance plans, billing insurers directly. If you can’t tell whether your benefits apply to the visit, the page’s advice is to check with your insurer. Self-pay visits run $130, and because the clinic offers a long list of services, that page suggests phoning before you come for a precise out-of-pocket estimate.
What makes the best smoking cessation help near Covington?
A good quit-smoking clinic should check a few boxes. Here’s how Total Health Urgent Care measures up:
- Someone who can prescribe: the services page includes prescriptions as needed.
- A real plan: an evaluation, a treatment plan, and education on quitting, per that same page.
- Hours that fit a rough week: 7AM to 7PM, weekends included, per our home page.
- Help between visits: free quitline coaching from Quit With Us, Louisiana pairs well with medication, since counseling plus medication beats either one alone, per smokefree.gov.
- One clinic for everything else: we also do primary care, along with urgent care in Covington.
Smoking cessation questions from Northshore patients
Yes, you can skip the appointment, according to the Total Health home page, and the Hwy 25 clinic is open from 7AM through 7PM on every day of the week. Our services page lists smoking cessation treatment with an evaluation, a treatment plan, and prescription medication as needed.
The self-pay office visit on our pricing page costs $130, and that price takes in exams, any referrals and any prescribing of medication. For an accurate estimate, that page suggests phoning (985) 400-5370 before you come.
Not for every option. Smokefree.gov’s Using Nicotine Replacement Therapy page lists the patch, gum and lozenge as over the counter, and the inhaler and nasal spray as prescription. Its medications page says you need a prescription for varenicline and for bupropion SR.
Yes. The Quit With Us, Louisiana counseling page lists five free personal coaching sessions and free shipments of patches, gum or lozenges for participants. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or text READY to 21586 to get started.
No. Smokefree.gov’s What We Know About Vaping page says e-cigarettes are not approved by the FDA as a quit smoking aid. The USPSTF tobacco cessation recommendation says current evidence is insufficient to assess the benefits and harms of e-cigarettes for tobacco cessation in adults, including pregnant persons.
It falls on Thursday, November 19, 2026. The American Cancer Society holds the Smokeout on the third Thursday of November and encourages people to use the date to make a plan to quit.
Driving over from Madisonville, Abita Springs or Mandeville? Point your GPS to Suite A, 73015 Hwy 25, Covington, Louisiana 70435, near the junction of Highways 190 and 25. Ring (985) 400-5370 with questions first, or fill out the contact page message form.
This health information was put together for Total Health Urgent Care News by Total Health Urgent Care, a Covington, Louisiana clinic. It’s general health information, so please don’t treat it as personal medical advice. Our About page introduces Jennifer Duncan, APRN, MSN, FNP-C; she owns the practice and is your Covington nurse practitioner, and our home page says she founded Total Health Urgent Care, bringing a career of more than 25 years spent in emergency and urgent care medicine. Call 911 for any medical emergency.