Smoking Outdoors – Is That Enough?

          Most people who smoke are aware of policies regarding the banning of smoking indoor public places. One issue however, is some don’t realize where outside they can smoke. For instance, no one can smoke within 10 meters of a building entrance. Many of those who smoke are aware this law exists, but it is not always followed. The reason this law is broken is not always an intentional one.

         Research demonstrates that painted lines are seen as the best practice for demarcation of smoking areas. The use of lines is to indicate where people must move back from entranceways when smoking. When areas are clearly marked as appropriate distances away from entrances, more people become compliant.

         Why is this distance of concern? It is because there is increasing evidence for harmful effects of second hand smoke in outdoor environments. Smoking too close to doors allows drift of smoke into indoor areas as well impacting those who are using the entranceways.

         Therefore, it is important not only for smokers to smoke outdoors, but to smoke the appropriate distance away from building entrances. If people smoke far enough from entrances, they are significantly reducing the damage to the health of those around them. 

Today is the first day of the WouldURather… Contest!

            To all participants of the WouldURather…(WUR) Contest, thank you for joining and we hope you are excited for your first day!  You may be asking yourself, how can being in this contest help me quit smoking? Is using a contest to quit smoking any better than the other options?  I’d like to shed some light on these questions in my blog today, and I hope to excite and motivate you on your first day in the contest!

            Research shows that young adults are most interested in receiving self-direct, convenient, and cheap interventions to help them quit smoking – all of which are components of the WUR contest.  Also – not surprisingly – young adults are much more likely to quit smoking if given the opportunity to win a prize.  I’m sure we can all relate to that!  Students who sign up for the WUR contest are also more likely to quit because of the social network it provides.  You can link up with friends or roommates and quit together, and research has shown that quitting smoking is easier if your friends are quitting too!  

            So how effective exactly is a contest in helping you quit smoking?  Research from previous contests show that quit rates usually range between 10-50%, whereas unassisted quit rates (aka going at it alone) are much lower – only 5-7%. 

But what about the WUR contest specifically, how effective has it shown to be?  Our research has shown it is VERY EFFECTIVE!  Six months after the contest ended, 24% of those in Quit for Good and 27% of those in Keep the Count were still smoke-free!  That is an astounding number, versus the 5-7% quit rate mentioned earlier for those who quit smoking without assistance.

I hope I’ve helped to excite you all about the contest you are in!  Feel free to comment on this blog or on our Facebook page and let us know how the contest is going for you so far!

Need Motivation to Quit Smoking?

Have a parent or friend that can't sign up for LTPB's wouldurather... contest? Don't sweat it there is still other contests out there. Tell them about The Driven to Quit Challenge.

WHAT?

The Driven to Quit Challenge is a health promotion campaign that encourages Ontario adult smokers and tobacco users to make a quit attempt for the month of March 2012. The Canadian Cancer Society Smokers’ Helpline is available as a free support for participants.

Entrants must sign up with a support buddy and will be entered into the prize draw to take place on April 1, 2012. Potential winners must prove that they have remained tobacco-free for the month of March.

Participants may quit smoking or tobacco use any time after they register as long as they quit by March 1, 2012. Those who have recently quit may also be eligible to enter.

Winners will be announced publicly and listed on DrivenToQuit.ca in April 2012.


More than 36,000 Ontarians participated in the 2011 Challenge. Since 2006, The Driven to Quit Challenge has inspired more than 165,000 quit attempts.

The Challenge is hosted by the Canadian Cancer Society in support of a Smoke-Free Ontario. Presented in collaboration with your local public health department. Prizes made possible through the generous support of McNeil Consumer Healthcare.

PRIZES?

• Grand prize: Your Choice! Ford Fusion hybrid OR Ford Edge (1)
• Secondary prizes: Two $5,000 CAA dream vacation getaways
• Regional prizes: Seven $2,000 cash prizes
• Buddy prizes: Ten $200 cash prizes

WHO?


Residents of Ontario aged 19 and older who have used tobacco at least once weekly for at least 10 months in 2011, and who have used tobacco at least 100 times in their life can enter (cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, pipes, snus, snuff and/or chewing tobacco).

The Driven to Quit Challenge is not open to staff of the Canadian Cancer Society Ontario Division, Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Ontario Public Health or McNeil Consumer Healthcare. They are eligible to be buddies but cannot receive buddy prizes.

WHEN?


The registration deadline is 11:59 p.m. February 29, 2012 (online, fax and mail); telephone registration must be completed by 9:00 p.m. on February 29, 2012.

WHERE?


There are three ways to enter:

• online at www.DrivenToQuit.ca
• by faxing/mailing a registration form (available from Smokers’ Helpline, Canadian Cancer Society unit offices and local public health units)
• by calling Smokers’ Helpline at 1-877-513-5333

Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/smokershelpline and on Twitter at
www.twitter.com/smokershelpline.

Article taken from www.DrivenToQuit.ca