Quitting tobacco is often easier said than done—but for many Indians, a simple phone call has made all the difference.

The National Tobacco Quit Helpline (1800-112-356), run by the Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute (VPCI) under the Union Health Ministry, has helped nearly 35 per cent of users successfully quit tobacco, including smokeless forms, says Prof Raj Kumar, Director, VPCI.

Speaking to Drug Today Medical Times (DTMT) on the sidelines of the Institute Day programme, Prof Kumar described the helpline as one of the country’s most effective yet under-recognised public health interventions.

“Launched in 2016, the helpline is not just about answering a call—it’s about walking with a person through their quitting journey,” he said.

Once a caller reaches out, they are connected to a trained counsellor who helps them understand their addiction and prepares them mentally to quit. This is followed by proactive calls from the helpline team, where a quit date is set, counselling is offered before the quit date, and regular follow-ups are made after quitting—at seven days, one month, three months and even nine months.

“This continued hand-holding is what really works,” Prof Kumar explained.

The numbers tell a compelling story. Since 2016, Delhi alone has logged nearly one crore calls to the helpline. Around six lakh of these were registered for structured quitting support, and about 35 per cent managed to quit tobacco with regular follow-ups.

“When you compare this with global cessation studies, these results are extremely encouraging,” Prof Kumar said.

Initially launched from VPCI, the success of the helpline soon led to the expansion of services. 

Satellite call centres were opened at NIMHANS in Bengaluru, Tata Memorial Cancer Institute in Mumbai, and the Regional Cancer Institute in Guwahati, ensuring wider national reach. 

Today, the helpline operates from 8 am to 8 pm, except Mondays, and offers counselling in 15 Indian languages.

Adding to its visibility, the Government of India has mandated that the helpline number be printed on all tobacco products. 

“This way, whenever someone picks up a tobacco packet and thinks of quitting, the support number is right there,” Prof Kumar noted.

VPCI has also studied whether helpline-based interventions are worth public investment. The conclusion, Prof Kumar said, is clear. “Yes, this is one of the most effective ways to help people quit tobacco.”

Public health experts believe that strengthening such accessible, low-cost interventions could play a crucial role in reducing India’s heavy tobacco burden—one phone call at a time.