If you’re thinking about quitting smoking, the time is now. The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit says this week is an excellent time to try butting out, as it’s National Non-Smoking Week. Public Health Nurse Karen Taylor says although the first quit attempt may not always work, every additional time you try can bring you closer to quitting. She says it’s a great way to improve your health, and to reduce second-hand or third-hand smoke.
The health unit says there are a number of resources to help people in Haliburton go tobacco-free. There is the S.T.O.P. (Smoking Treatment for Ontario Patients) Program, which is offered in Haliburton on February 6th. It’s a free program which provides resources and free nicotine patches. To see if you qualify, call 1-866-888-4577, ext. 2240.
There is also the First Week Challenge Contest. The contest tries to get smokers in Ontario to quit for a chance to win $500. You have to sign up by the end of the month, and stay tobacco-free for the first week of the next month. The challenge is organized by the Canadian Cancer Society, and every month in 2018 a new winner will be chosen.
Another contest that offers a cash prize is Wouldurather. People aged 18 to 29-years-old can enter the contest, which is organized by Leave the Pack Behind, and potentially win up to $2,500 in cash.
Smokers looking to quit can also contact the Smokers’s Helpline website or call 1-877-513-5333.