How can Quitline help?

Quitline 13 7848 is a warm, welcoming, confidential and free counselling service. Quitline counsellors can support you throughout your quit journey.

What can Quitline counsellors do for me?

• Help motivate you by listening carefully to your reasons for stopping smoking or vaping

• Help you set up a quit plan tailored just for you

• Listen carefully and offer tips and strategies to help you stay on track

• Discuss how you might’ve tried to quit in the past. Quitline counsellors can help you draw on your experience to make a plan to try quitting again

• Support you if you are using vapes to stop smoking and can help you stop vaping

• Post you a resource pack

• Chat with you if you're supporting someone to quit.

When you call Quitline, you speak confidentially with a qualified counsellor who can answer your questions without judgement, and support you on how you would like to quit. They’ll be there for you when you need them, at any stage of your quitting journey. Even if it takes a few attempts to stay quit.

You can call Quitline with a quick query but a typical first call takes around 10–20 minutes. The first call often covers your smoking or vaping history, your motivation to quit and how smoking or vaping fits into your life.

Common questions about Quitline

• Who will be on the other end of the line? Quitline counsellors are qualified counsellors who have years of experience. Quitline counsellors understand quitting is a complex process and that most people will have several goes at quitting before they quit for good. Quitline counsellors are trained to listen carefully.

• How long can I talk to them? Many people call Quitline with a quick query, but a typical first call takes around 10–20 minutes.

• What will they want to know? Your call is confidential. This means you don't have to give your name if you don't want to. Quitline counsellors will generally ask you about your smoking or vaping history, your motivation to quit, an understanding of your smoking or vaping based on nicotine dependence, your habit, and the stress side of smoking or vaping. An essential part of the first Quitline call is to set up a plan for stopping smoking or vaping that suits you. Quitline counsellors are trained to help you to explore your desire to quit and to deepen it.

• Do I have to be currently trying to stop smoking or vaping to talk to them? Not at all. If you’re currently smoking or vaping and thinking about your options, or you're a family member looking for advice on how to help a loved one, Quitline is there for you.

• Can I speak to the same Quitline counsellor again? Unfortunately due to Quitline counsellors’ working shifts it is difficult for us to allocate you a particular Quitline counsellor. Talking to different Quitline counsellors means getting a range of different tips.

• When is Quitline open? Quitline operates Monday to Friday, 8am - 8pm and Saturday 10am to 5pm EST.

• Does it cost anything to call? The cost of a local call (normal charges apply from a mobile phone). But you can also ask us to call you, for free:

• How well does Quitline work? Quitline is regularly reviewed for effectiveness. Studies show that Quitline greatly increases your chance of quitting, and that most people find Quitline really helpful.

Reach out to Quitline

Quitline counsellors understand how hard it can be to stop smoking and/or vaping and are there to offer support at every stage. They will help you identify and manage your triggers, understand nicotine withdrawals as well as build the motivation, skills and confidence to quit and stay quit!

There are many ways to get in touch with Quitline, including by phone on 13 7848, the online Request a callback form, WhatsApp and more:

Quitline is a culturally safe space

Quitline is a culturally safe space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and LGBTIQA+ communities.

A Quitline counsellor can speak with you in languages other than English through an interpreter service.

• If you are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment, you can call the National Relay Service to access the Quitline.

• TTY users phone 13 3677 and ask for 13 7848.

• Speak & Listen users phone 1300 555 727 then ask for 13 7848.

• Internet relay users connect to the National Relay Service then ask for 13 7848.

You can help us improve by letting us know when you think we could do better and when we got it right. To help us improve, please go to the Complaints and Compliments page.

Last updated February 2024