Win Big By Quitting Smoking This Year

January 10, 2014

Huron County, ON – Quitting smoking is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions. If you’re taking on the challenge this year there are more incentives than ever that may land you some big prizes.

For younger adults, the Leave the Pack Behind’s wouldurather… contest features two grand prizes of $2,500. And for the first time, the annual contest is offering eight weeks of free nicotine patches or gum to all eligible participants. The contest is open to all students and young adults between the ages of 18 and 29. Register by January 26 at www.wouldurather.ca.

If winning a car is an incentive to quit smoking, adults can sign up for the Canadian Cancer Society’s Driven to Quit challenge. The contest is for any smoker over the age of 19 in Ontario who has used tobacco at least once weekly for at least 10 months in 2013, and who has used tobacco at least 100 times in their life. The grand prize is a Dodge Journey or Dodge Avenger. Register by February 28 at www.driventoquit.ca.

“It’s hard to quit the addictive nature of nicotine,” says Public Health Nurse Julie Verch. “If you’ve decided to take the step of quitting these contests are a great additional motivation.”

Tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in Ontario, killing 13,000 people annually or 36 people a day. Many smokers make five to seven attempts to quit smoking before they quit successfully and accessing quit smoking supports and programs can help increase a smoker’s chance of becoming tobacco-free.

For more information on local quit smoking supports and services available, please contact the Huron County Health Unit at 519.482.3416 or toll free 1.877.837.6143.

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Creating Healthy Communities…

For more information:
Our media contact is: Barbara Leavitt, Communications Co-ordinator, 519.482.3416 ext. 2289 or bleavitt@huroncounty.ca

Our spokesperson is: Julie Verch, Public Health Nurse.

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For more information contact:

Susan Cronin, County Clerk
519.524.8394 (ext 3257)
scronin@huroncounty.ca