Tuesday, January 12, 2016
Perth County –National Non-Smoking week is January 17 to 23. The Perth District Health Unit, in partnership with the provincial organization Leave The Pack Behind, is helping promote the annual wouldurather…. contest. This contest is for young adults to quit smoking, reduce their smoking, or stay smoke-free. Registrants of the contest will have a chance to win up to $2,500.
The six-week contest is aims to tackle the high rates of smoking among young adults aged 18-29 years. This population has a provincial smoking rate of 21%, compared to 13% of the general population.
Last year more than 13,000 young adults entered the wouldurather… contest. It helped Denis Mahoney, one of the $2,500 winners, to finally quit. Reports Mahoney: “I started off casually, as most smokers do. As soon as I realized I was hooked I wanted to quit, but it was a lot easier said than done. I had almost given up until I stumbled upon wouldurather… I’ve been 100% smoke-free now for almost 3 months and I’m positive I’ll be able to stay smoke-free.”
Participants in the wouldurather… contest can choose from one of four categories:
- Quit for Good: to quit smoking all together
- Keep the Count: to cut their smoking in half
- Party Without the Smoke: to refrain from smoking any time they are socializing and drinking
- Don’t Start and Win: non-smokers and ex-smokers can also participate by pledging to stay smoke-free.
The contest starts January 25, 2016, and runs for six weeks. Young adults between the ages of 18 and 29, or anyone enrolled at a publically-funded post-secondary institution, can sign up at www.wouldurather.ca. Deadline for entry is January 24.
Leave The Pack Behind is an age-tailored tobacco control initiative offered year-round in Ontario. Funded by the Government of Ontario with prize support provided by the makers of Thrive and Habitrol, the wouldurather… contest aims to motivate and encourage young adult Ontarians to live tobacco-free lives.
For more information:
- Call Health Line at 519-271-7600 ext 267 or toll-free at 1-877-271-7348 ext 267
- Visit www.pdhu.on.ca
- Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
