Norwich -- The William W. Backus Hospital will offer the American Lung Association’s “Freedom From Smoking” program, which focuses on group support and behavior modification, beginning Tuesday.

  Certified instructors will lead the sessions at the Backus Outpatient Care Center, 111 Salem Turnpike, on Tuesdays, from 6 to 8 p.m. through April 15.  Week four is “Quit Week” and will include an additional support class on March 27.

  The cost of the program is $50, however, participants who complete all eight sessions will receive a $50 refund. To register, call (860) 889-8331, extension 6381.

  In a previous class, 21 participants completed all eight sessions and received their refund. Twelve reported that they quit smoking completely, and all but two said they cut down significantly.