In an effort to curb health care costs, the city of New Orleans is offering an anti-smoking course to city employees desperate to beat their tobacco habit.

The eight-week program started in March provides weekly therapy in addition to a three-month supply of the anti-smoking drug Chantix.

If 100 employees quit smoking in the first year, it will save the city $1.2 million in medical expenses, said Jean Morris-Anderson, the city's chief operating manager.

The city has budgeted $50,000 to be spent on 100 employees in the program's first year.

"We looked at where some of our biggest health care costs came from and it was heart problems and high blood pressure," Morris- Anderson said. "And the one thing we know that drives those diseases is smoking."

The anti-smoking campaign is part of the city's new Health and Wellness Program that also targets diabetes and obesity.

Employees pay a $50 deductible for a 30-day prescription of Chantix and the city picks up the remaining $70. The total cost to the employee for three months of medication is $150.

City-operated health clinics are providing workers free check- ups to determine if they are eligible to take the prescription.

New Orleans is the only municipality in the state to offer smoking cessation drugs under its health coverage, but others are studying the program, and considering implementing one, Morris- Anderson said.

"I've been a smoker for 32 years and I'm in the program and it's helped me," she said.

Pfizer launched Chantix in 2006. In its first two years, more than 6 million people took the pill, but its reputation recently has taken a hit as some users reported side effects including suicidal thoughts and erratic behavior.

So long as potential users are thoroughly examined by a physician to determine pre-existing risk factors such as mental illness, Chantix is a safe and effective way to combat tobacco addiction, said Dr. Evangelin Daniel, cessation program monitor for the Louisiana Tobacco Control Program.

Those who don't want to or can't afford to purchase the drug can still enroll in the anti-smoking program and participate in the therapy sessions, Morris-Anderson said.

The weekly meetings address when and why people smoke and provide techniques to curb cravings.

"It's not just smoking we talk about," Morris-Anderson said. "We talk about what makes people stressed, whether it's their children or their mortgages or the fact they're not back in their house yet. They're real therapy sessions and we help them learn how to deal with that stress."

There are 12 people enrolled in the anti-smoking program and two have successfully quit smoking. The city would like to see more people sign up and hopes once word of its effectiveness spreads, the number of participants will increase, Morris-Anderson said.

"You would figure people would want to stop smoking but many don't. But if we can get them in the program, I guarantee we'll show them why they want to stop. If I can get you in a session, even if you don't take the drug, you're going to stop smoking because we make you understand what it does to the body."