QUIT campaign enters second phase
by Guy Hiscott
The second stage of the QUIT campaign involves TV and radio advertising aimed at encouraging more and more smokers to give up smoking.
The new ads feature real people and the message ‘one in every two of those smokers will die of a tobacco related disease’.
With most cases of mouth cancer linked to tobacco and/or alcohol consumption, this message does not come a moment too soon.
Early results for the campaign, which began in June, show exciting and positive responses with many choosing to get help and support for their QUIT attempt online.
There has been a 500% increase in people signing up to the online Quitplan, which supports and guides people through the quitting process and is available at quit.ie.
Quit.ie has seen a 280% increase in the number of visits and calls to the National Smokers’ Quitline – 1850 201 203 – increased by over 300% since the QUIT campaign launched in June.
Visit the main QUIT campaign information page here.
Meanwhile, the HSE’s ‘You can QUIT’ Facebook page has over 10,000 ‘Likes’ to date, showing that people are choosing to share their quitting experience and get support online.
Dr Fenton Howell, HSE director of public health, said: ‘We’re delighted to see such positive results from the campaign to date. There are about one million smokers in Ireland and, unfortunately, one in every two of those smokers will die of a tobacco related disease.
‘Smokers have a greater chance of success if they use supports such as the quit.ie website, the National Smokers’ Quitline or free HSE smoking cessation clinics. I would encourage those who are thinking about quitting or currently in the process of quitting to get some support and double their chances of success.
‘While most people know that “smoking is bad for you”, very few know just how bad it is. Our campaign tells them the real story, but also shows them how they can escape that frightening statistic. It provides clear signposts on how to quit, with a range of supports accessible to every smoker.’
Success stories and works in progress can be read on www.facebook.com/HSEquit.
