Coming midway through National Non-Smoking Week, Weedless Wednesday may be the first step towards a tobacco-free life. For those who smoke or chew tobacco, the idea of quitting for good may seem daunting, but giving up tobacco for one day can be much more manageable; that’s the idea behind Weedless Wednesday. To encourage young adults to quit using tobacco, reduce the amount of tobacco they use, or remain tobacco-free for life, the Middlesex-London Health Unit is once again promoting the annual wouldurather… contest.
The wouldurather… contest is part of Ontario’s Leave The Pack Behind tobacco control program, which provides resources, information and personalized support for young adults seeking to break their addiction. By entering the contest, participants have a chance to win up to $5,000 by choosing to quit tobacco completely, reducing their tobacco use by half, or refraining from using tobacco when socializing or partying. Because addiction can begin with a single puff, the wouldurather… contest also encourages those who have never used tobacco to pledge to remain tobacco-free for a chance to win great prizes.
“The longer a young person uses tobacco, the more addicted they become and the harder it is to quit,” says Sarah Neil, Public Health Nurse with the Middlesex-London Health Unit. “We know that not everyone is ready to quit tobacco completely, so the wouldurather… contest lets young adults enter in one of four categories, based on their readiness to cut down or quit for good.”
Across all age groups, young adults have the highest rate of tobacco use. Research shows that 17% of 20 to 24 year-olds, and 23% of 25 to 29 year-olds, smoke; and that young men are more likely than young women to use tobacco. The rate of tobacco use among these groups varies widely, from regular smokers to occasional users, who may only use tobacco in social settings.
The six-week wouldurather… contest is open to young adults aged 18 to 29, as well as students registered at publicly-funded universities and colleges in Ontario. Participants can identify a “buddy”, who will act as their support for the duration of the contest, and will receive support emails tailored to their particular goal. Free nicotine patches and nicotine gum are available to eligible contestants while supplies last.
Visit www.wouldurather.ca before midnight on January 22, 2017, to register for the contest. For information on the supports and services available to help quit tobacco, call the Health Unit’s Quit Clinic at 519-663-5317 ext. HELP (4357) or visit www.healthunit.com/quitting.
Media Contact:
Dan Flaherty, Communications Manager, Middlesex-London Health Unit, 519-663-5317 extension 2469 or 519-617-0570 (cell.)
Spokesperson:
Sarah Neil, Public Health Nurse, Chronic Disease Prevention and Tobacco Control