“Quit Exchange” Helps Tobacco Users and Friends Work Together on Quitting

New Facebook Application Celebrates All Quit Attempts to Encourage Long-Term Success

Now you can use Facebook to help you quit smoking by involving friends who want to support you.

Designed for social media users, the “Quit Exchange” request can be started on Facebook by those who want to help a friend quit or by someone ready to quit who wants to challenge a friend to support them,” says Mary Pat Fasken, a Public Health Nurse with the Peterborough County-City Health Unit.

“The 20-24 age group represents the largest group of people who smoke in the province,” said Mrs. Fasken. “Yet they can be the hardest to reach because many don’t access traditional media outlets like radio and newspapers. The “Quit Exchange” reaches them where they spend a lot of their time – on social media sites.”

The “Quit Exchange” is the second phase of the Central East Tobacco Control Area Network’s (CETCAN) Don’t Quit Quitting campaign, which is now launching province-wide, with a goal to provide cessation supports for young adults to help them break their tobacco addiction. Don’t Quit Quitting celebrates quit attempts – including failed attempts – as a positive step towards quitting for good. Research shows that most tobacco users must make several quit attempts before they have long-term success.

“We know quitting is very hard,” added CETCAN Coordinator Cindy Baker-Barill. “The campaign components have all been developed so you don’t have to do it alone. You can share the experience with a friend and support each other to stay on track. And if you slip up, you have the power of social influence to support your next quit attempt.”

Also available on the www.dontquitquitting.ca site is a Quit Counter that allows users to track information about their quit attempt such as the amount of money saved, number of cigarettes not smoked and smoke-free hours. This information can then be shared with friends and followers via Facebook or Twitter so friends can lend support. And if a user slips up, they can click the “No Regrets Reset Button” and start again.

For more information about the new Quit Exchange application visit www.dontquitquitting.ca .