STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) - Close to six million people die from tobacco use every year. That number is expected to continue to rise. With 1.6 billion smokers worldwide there are plenty programs aimed at helping folks quit. The American Lung Association is hoping that "Freedom From Smoking Facilitator Training" will give groups the tools they need to succeed.

Health Promotions Coordinator Leah Pylate says, "It focuses on the physical, social and mental part of that and provide strategies to help them cope with those aspects of quitting."

OCH Regional Medical Center will soon be certified to teach the eight week, eight session program. Most insurance companies will cover the cost and if they don't OCH is willing to help.

According to OCH Pulmonary Help Program Director Vicki Jackson, "Nicotine is very hard to get out of your body. How to cope with people when they say, I want this one cigarette. They get down to one cigarette and don't want to give it up it's their crutch."

The training helps future facilitators understand the quitting process as well as the concepts, philosophy, materials and techniques.

Jackson says, "Some of the places have already started the no smoking and a lot of my patients have smoked for years and COPD, emphyzema the things that come from it is horrible."

It's all an effort to provide better health, wellness and most of all awareness of the risks tied to smoking.

Pylate says, "It's really easy for people to quit but staying quit is the hardest part."

The program should be up and running at OCH Regional Medical Center the second week in August.