Quit Smoking, Win Money: New Contest Targets Post-Secondary Smokers

The wouldurather… contest encourages young smokers to quit or cut down on their smoking by offering cash prizes, tuition waivers and gift cards as incentives.

The wouldurather… contest, hosted by Leave the Pack Behind, is encouraging young smokers between the ages of 18 and 29 to address their smoking habits. The incentive? A chance to win up to $2,500, as well as tuition waivers, gift cards and more.

A recent Health Canada study reports that 18 per cent of young adults in Ontario currently smoke. Empirical research indicates that 20 per cent of wouldurather… contest participants quit smoking and remain smoke-free, versus only 5 per cent of young smokers who do so without the contest’s encouragement and incentives. Eligible participants can get a free, 8-week supply of nicotine patch or gum to help them quit. A “buddy” system and motivational emails from Leave the Pack Behind also help to keep contestants encouraged and accountable.

While the goal is to get smokers to kick the habit altogether, the contest has four categories in which contestants can participate:

• Quit For Good, for regular smokers who pledge to quit smoking and remain smoke-free;
• Keep the Count, for regular smokers who pledge to reduce their smoking by 50%;
• Party Without the Smoke, for regular or social smokers who pledge to not smoke while drinking alcohol;
• Don’t Start & Win, for non-smokers or ex-smokers who pledge to continue to lead smoke-free lives.

Two grand prizes of $2,500 will be awarded to randomly-selected contestants who quit smoking altogether, but other prizes—including cash, tuition waivers and gift cards—are available to those who successfully cut down on their smoking, and non-smokers who pledge to remain smoke-free.

“Smoking is a very difficult addiction to break, but it isn’t something you have to fight alone,” says Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, Deb Matthews. “I encourage all young adult smokers to take advantage of the wouldurather… contest to get the help and motivation you need to quit.”

Contestants have until January 26^th, 2014 to register, with the contest officially beginning the following day. Winners will be selected after the contest ends on March 10, 2014.

Get full contest rules at http://www.wouldurather.ca/.