During National Non-Smoking Week, from January 21st to January 27th, the Middlesex-London Health Unit, in partnership with the Southwest Tobacco Control Area Network (SWTCAN), is encouraging tobacco users to persevere in their attempts to quit. The Don’t Quit Quitting campaign emphasizes the importance of not giving up, even if past efforts to quit have been challenging or unsuccessful.
The campaign will begin today and extend across various social media platforms, featuring the Don’t Quit Quitting videos available at:
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGTbDyObXCc
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxKcKsIEyvo
Stopping smoking and the use of commercial tobacco products is not easy. Nicotine is highly addictive and for many, quitting for good may take multiple attempts. Quitting should not be viewed as an all-or-nothing event. With every attempt to quit, individuals discover the best approach for them. The key is to persist and Don't Quit Quitting.
Canada currently has a smoking rate of approximately 10%, as reported by Health Canada in 2022. Despite the reduction in smoking rates, every year, 46,000 Canadians die from tobacco-related disease (Health Canada, 2023). In 2020, tobacco addiction cost the Canadian economy $11.2 billion. The national goal, outlined in Canada’s Tobacco Strategy, aims to bring this rate down to less than 5% by 2035. Promoting the importance of quitting and connecting individuals with quitting supports and services, will help to reduce the overall burden of tobacco addiction.
“For those trying to quit smoking, no matter the timeline, we encourage you not to give up on the journey and keep trying,” says Dr. Alex Summers, Medical Officer of Health at the Middlesex-London Health Unit. “Quitting smoking offers immediate benefits, like lower blood pressure within 20 minutes. Advantages continue for up to 10 years, reducing the risk of serious health conditions to that of a non-smoker.”
Visit the Don't Quit Quitting website at https://dontquitquitting.ca/ to explore valuable information on the advantages of quitting smoking, tips to help with a successful quit, and help connecting individuals with local resources and services to support their quit journey.
Media Contact:
Morgan Lobzun, Communications Coordinator, Middlesex-London Health Unit,
519-617-0571
Spokesperson:
Dr. Alex Summers, Medical Officer of Health, Middlesex-London Health Unit
References:
Health Canada. (2023). Tobacco Control in Canada. Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/health-concerns/tobacco/about-tobacco-control/tobacco-control-canada.html