Contest costs minimal

Dear editor:
I would like to respond to Ken McDonald in his letter to the editor last week regarding the “Quit Smoking 2001” contest.
The contest is funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, and supported by 57 local councils on smoking and health in partnership with the Industrial Accident Prevention Association and the Ontario Tobacco-free Network.
No municipal dollars were used to conduct this contest.
These types of contests as smoking cessation approaches have proven to provide the needed support and incentive to help smokers quit smoking. Also, the costs per successful quitter are lower for contests than most other smoking cessation approaches.
Plus, contests recruit a large number of smokers–many more than a formal smoking cessation program. And the success rate for people who stay smoke-free is as much as 20 times higher than other means.
We all are aware of the excessive costs to the health care system and personal suffering to affected families as a result of smoking. The cost of a few prizes is minimal if even one person participating in the contest quite smoking.
Respectfully,
Phyllis Anderson
Health Promotion
Team Leader