Health advocates spotlight free nicotine-quitting program during MLK Day observances

As communities across Georgia observed Martin Luther King Jr. Day, health advocates used the moment to spotlight long-term support for people trying to quit nicotine, including the free, evidence-based EX Program.

The program is operated by Truth Initiative, a nonprofit focused on ending tobacco and nicotine addiction, and has helped people quit since 2008. Developed in partnership with the Mayo Clinic, the EX Program offers teens and adults personalized quit plans, interactive text messages and online peer support. Research shows people who use the program can increase their chances of quitting by up to 40%.

Kendric Dartis, vice president for outreach and engagement at Truth Initiative, said promoting access to quitting resources aligns closely with the purpose of the holiday.

“Martin Luther King Jr. Day is really a call to action and not just a reflection. Truth Initiative is showing up during the King Holiday Observance Week to really frame quitting nicotine as an act of liberation and understanding — one that protects health and strengthens community.”

Truth Initiative participated in Atlanta’s Beloved Community Global Summit as part of King Holiday Observance Week, which brings together leaders and advocates to advance Dr. King’s vision of collective care and equity. Public health experts say the work is especially urgent in Black communities, which have long been targeted by tobacco companies and continue to face uneven access to cessation resources.

Dartis said the consequences of those disparities are profound.

“We also know that 45,000 Black Americans die each and every year from smoking-related disease and illnesses, so we know that we must do something differently.”

He said meeting people with accessible, trusted, and proven tools is key to closing those gaps and strengthening community health.

The EX Program is available at no cost at EXprogram.com or by texting EXPROGRAM to 88709.