Would you quit smoking to win a car?
This is the time for New Year’s resolutions and good intentions. If you smoke daily and want to quit, you now have extra incentive – the chance to win a new Mini Cooper car in the Quit Smoking 2004 Contest. In the past three years, over 15,000 smokers have entered the contest. According to evaluation results, 31% are still smoke-free one year later.
Now in its fourth year, the province-wide contest is designed to help smokers set a quit date, prepare themselves and then stop smoking by March 1, 2004 for at least one month. Contest participants are required to enlist the help of a non-smoking buddy who will give them support along the way. Buddies of confirmed winners also win a cash prize.
Quitting smoking is one of the hardest things to do – but the best thing for your health. It helps if you are mentally prepared and have supports in place for when the going gets tough. If you are a smoker who wants to quit you can begin the process by identifying why you smoke, why you want to quit and planning how you are going to handle the urge to smoke.
Think of quitting as a process, not an event. Most smokers go through five stages when becoming non-smokers: having no thought of quitting, thinking about quitting, getting ready to quit, quitting, and becoming and remaining smoke-free. The goal of this contest is to provide incentives to help smokers move to the quitting stage and then give them supports along the way.
The Quit Smoking 2004 Contest is open to all Ontario residents who are daily smokers and are 19 years of age or older. Entries must be received by midnight February 29, 2004. Smokers must quit smoking by March 1 and remain smoke-free until March 31st to qualify for the contest prizes. This year’s grand prize, sponsored by Pfizer, is a Mini Cooper. Winners will be randomly chosen on April 1, 2004 and contacted within 2 weeks. Verification of winners is done by telephone interview with the entrant and their buddy. A simple urine test is required. Winners (once verified) will be announced at a special event for media, partners and sponsors.
Everyone who enters the contest and quits – even if it’s only for a month – comes out a winner, whether or not their name is selected in the draws.
For more information about the Ontario Quit Smoking 2004 Contest or for an entry form, visit the contest website: www.quitsmokingontario.ca
Remember, the more often you try to quit, the more likely you are to succeed.
Make 2004 your smoke-free year.