Quit cold turkey
The Lung Association of Nova Scotia spread some holiday cheer by delivering turkeys to former smokers who ‘Quit Cold Turkey’ for the holiday season.
Some 122 Nova Scotians took the challenge to ‘Quit Cold Turkey’ and give up smoking from Nov. 14 to Dec. 13. At the end of the challenge 30 individuals had successfully quit smoking and received a holiday turkey to celebrate their success.
“Our number one goal is to improve the lung health of Nova Scotians by encouraging a tobacco free life”, said Louis Brill, President & CEO of the Lung Association of Nova Scotia. “At the end of the day, if this fun initiative had convinced one person to quit we would have considered the contest a success. A 25 per cent success rate is very comparable with results from similar contests and we are proud to have helped 30 people kick their smoking habit. The turkey is just a small token for them to share with their family and friends this holiday season.”
Research has shown that serious quit attempts increase the chances of life-time abstinence and early feedback from participants indicates that those who succeeded in the challenge intend to remain smoke-free in the future.
“I found the challenge to be a fun incentive to quit smoking. Since its sort of a funny concept (get a turkey for not smoking), I shared the challenge with my friends and family who become supports and cheerleaders during the challenge,” said one participant. “They kept me honest and on track to finish the month smoke free.”
Participants received a countdown calendar and weekly emails to keep them motivated throughout the challenge. In addition to those who quit, several participants who were unable to complete the challenge reported a significant reduction in the number of cigarettes they were smoking which can be an important first step towards quitting.
The Lung Association of Nova Scotia is a volunteer-driven charitable organization; The Lung Association of Nova Scotia improves quality of life by controlling and preventing lung disease through research, advocacy, patient services and education.