London, ON – If the idea of breaking a tobacco addiction seems like too big a challenge, then how about quitting for one day? That’s the idea behind Weedless Wednesday, the annual one-day challenge that encourages people who smoke to butt out for 24 hours; and encourages those who use smokeless forms of tobacco to keep it in the tin for at least one day, as a first step to becoming tobacco-free for life.

Weedless Wednesday has become a day dedicated to quitting all forms of tobacco for 24 hours and marks the mid-point of National Non-Smoking Week. National Non-Smoking Week was established in 1977 by the Canadian Council for Tobacco Control, and aims to inform Canadians about the effects of tobacco use and encourages people who are hooked on tobacco products, to break free from their addictions.

While smoking is a great concern, the Health Unit is also troubled by the growing perception that smokeless forms of tobacco are harmless. Health Unit staff often hear reports of young men, especially those involved in sports and athletics, who use chew tobacco and dip.

"We know that breaking an addiction can be challenging and that the thought of giving up cigarettes, chew, dip or other products for a lifetime, a month or even a week can seem like a steep hill to climb,” says Linda Stobo, Chronic Disease Prevention & Tobacco Control Manager with the Middlesex-London Health Unit. "The great thing about Weedless Wednesday is that it challenges people to quit for a single day, which for a lot of those who use tobacco products is an easier first step towards a life free from tobacco.”

Tobacco users can access additional support through the Smokers’ Helpline at 1-877-513-5333 or at http://smokershelpline.ca. The Health Unit also has quit-smoking supports and services available. Visit www.healthunit.com/tobacco, or contact the Health Unit’s Quit Clinic at 519-663-5317 ext. HELP (4357), for more. Pharmacists and healthcare providers are also a great resource to learn more about stop-smoking medications and counseling support.

For those who want to quit, additional encouragement is also available in the form of the annual Driven to Quit Challenge and the youth-focused wouldurather… contest. Regular tobacco users over the age of 19 can register to take part in the Driven to Quit Challenge at www.driventoquit.ca before midnight on Saturday, February 28th. wouldurather… is open to young adults 18 to 29, who choose to quit completely, reduce their smoking by half, refrain from smoking when partying or socializing with friends, or who commit to staying smoke-free. The deadline to register at www.wouldurather.ca is midnight on Sunday, January 25th.

Media Contact:
Dan Flaherty, Communications Manager, Middlesex-London Health Unit, 519-663-5317 ext.2469 or 519-617-0570 (cell.)

Spokesperson:
Linda Stobo, Program Manager, Chronic Disease Prevention and Tobacco Control