855-HOW-TO-QUIT

Every 6 minutes, someone in the United States dies from opioids and today, there’s more than 2.1 million people suffering from opioid use disorder. It’s the result of an ongoing three-decade man-made plague known as the Opioid Epidemic.

855-HOW-TO-QUIT is an innovative approach to help those struggling with addiction. It’s a helpline to reach out to people in the most critical moment – when they have a pill in their hand. In the US, every pill comes with a unique identifier imprinted, such as OP for oxycodone, IP33 for codeine, or C for fentanyl. The helpline uses the familiar dial pad mechanic where each letter corresponds to a number, to turn the opioid pill codes into phone extensions: OP is dialed as 67, IP33 as 4733, C as 2. Each extension connects the caller with a different person who managed to quit that very pill.

30 pills, 30 stories, 30 ways to quit

The helpline features 30 people, reflecting the diverse demographics of opioid use disorder. They share their experiences with one of the 30 most common opioid pills, from how they became addicted to how they managed to quit. Each testimony was curated by trained addiction specialists to include important medical information. The helpline also provides information for each pill, it connects to 988 for emergencies, and to the SAMHSA National Helpline for concrete treatment options. The toll-free helpline is available in all 50 states and will be functioning 24/7, initially live and later as interactive recordings.

The initiative is set to launch on March 5 as a nationwide PSA campaign displayed on billboards and other out of home media, provided pro-bono by leading media company Talon. Using data, the ads are placed in, and tailored to, the most relevant environments. In Philadelphia for example, more ads will feature fentanyl and oxycodone, while in Washington state hydrocodone pills will be more prominent. There will be billboards near pharmacies and known hotspots, and print, TV, and digital placements next to pharmaceutical ads. Activists and participating organizations will amplify the campaign further, on social media and beyond. The website 855-how-to-quit.org works as the campaign hub, featuring recordings of all stories, editorial content, resources for treatments, and various ways to support or even join the initiative.

855-HOW-TO-QUIT is developed by a diverse coalition of organizations, from NGOs, healthcare professionals and activists, to artists and media experts. Supporters include healthcare consultancy Anzen Health, NGOs We Are Those People and PAIN, renowned photojournalist Jeffrey Stockbridge, opioid crisis expert Flindt Andersen, and known activists Pamela Smith, Sober Sammy, and Ronny Morales.