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Last Updated: Jul 2nd, 2008 - 21:15:22 |
(NC)-Traditional anti-smoking campaigns have done a good job of raising awareness of the health benefits of quitting.
But despite smoking bans, increased cigarette taxes, public health warnings and advice from concerned family members and friends, more than 4.9 million Canadians over the age of 15, or approximately one in five adults, are smokers, according to the Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey 2006.
What is it that keeps people smoking in the face of increasing anti-smoking legislation and social pressure to quit?
A global survey of 2,200 smokers, sponsored by Novartis, revealed that despite being fully aware of the health implications of smoking, most smokers have a strong emotional attachment to smoking and view it as a part of their identity.
More than 70 percent of those surveyed perceive smokers as more adventurous and fun and 60 percent see smokers as more individualistic.
In addition, 70 percent said they wanted a nicotine replacement therapy brand that could help them give up smoking without losing their passion for living.
Results also revealed that many smokers would like to quit, but have fears about the quitting process. Respondents cited loss of identity, lifestyle and social interaction as some of the barriers keeping them from successfully becoming smoke-free.
According to research, an average smoker makes many quit attempts before they are successful. These failed attempts can be discouraging.
"Most smokers have both a physical and psychological addiction to smoking," said Professor Mohamed Ben Amar, a specialist in clinical biology and pharmacology at the University of Montreal and author of Tobacco Prior to the 21st Century: An Update of What We Know.
"This makes quitting a very difficult task. The use of nicotine replacement therapies, in addition to support from family and friends, is effective in giving smokers a better chance of living a smoke-free life when they make the decision to quit."
Novartis used these insights to develop a ground-breaking new campaign for Thrive, the first clinically proven nicotine replacement therapy lozenge in Canada. Thrive also offers a bold, mint gum.
The campaign, "Lose the Smoke. Keep the Fire" is designed to engage and communicate with smokers in a language that resonates with them. The goal is to help smokers realize that they can give up smoking without losing their passion for living.
In addition, the company has launched a new community website, www.thrive2quit.com to provide smokers peer-to-peer support, advice and information they need to pursue the journey to quit smoking successfully.
"For years, smoking cessation campaigns have relied on hard-hitting facts about the dangers of smoking. Our research indicates there is an opportunity to complement these communications with innovative products and new inspirational messages that smokers can relate to," said Rick Lloyd, General Manager, Novartis Consumer Health Canada Inc.
"Thrive delivers both through proven lozenge and gum products as well as a campaign that provides reassurance that smokers can become smoke-free while maintaining their passion for living."
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