News and press releases

Montréal, April 20, 2017 – Nearly 19,000 Quebec smokers participated in the 18th edition of the Quit to Win! Challenge, which took place from February 6 to March 19. This marks a 16% increase in participation compared to 2016. According to a survey conducted by Léger, nearly 4 out of 5 participants managed to not smoke during the 6 weeks of the Challenge, an excellent success rate!¹

The 2017 Challenge in numbers

• Notoriety reached a record 72% in the general population and 81% among smokers.²
• A majority of participants are between the ages of 20 and 44, specifically 28% between 20 and 34 years old and 30% between 35 and 44.
• A 24% increase in the number of Facebook followers, with posts generating 3,747,036 impressions and more than 48,000 interactions in 3 months.
• 86% of participants used their online profile.
• 96% of participants would recommend the Challenge to someone who would like to quit smoking.³

Support to increase the chances of success

• The free support tools and resources provided notably include the website, the online personal profile, the encouragement emails, a calendar to track progress as well as the Jean Coutu Quit Kit.
• It is important to once again mention that not smoking for 6 weeks increases the chances of quitting for good by 6,⁴ which marks an excellent start for a smoke-free life.
• The good news: support continues beyond the 6 weeks, through emails sent for 1 year and the Facebook page, which is active year-round.

Quote

• Dr. Christiane Laberge, spokesperson for the Quit to Win! Challenge: “Quitting smoking is a personal process, which is different for everyone. The Challenge invites smokers to commit to taking action and provides them with free support tools and resources they can use according to their needs. With thousands of Quebecers trying to quit at the same time, motivation and strength can be found in numbers. After 18 years, it is evident that the Challenge is an approach that works. Congratulations to all the participants!”

About the Quit to Win! Challenge

The Quit to Win! Challenge is a province-wide campaign that provides free support to smokers who want to quit. Created in 2000, this initiative of Capsana is in partnership with several public and private organizations, including the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, Quebec’s Directions régionales de santé publique, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Jean Coutu Group, and GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare. To find out more, visit quitchallenge.ca.

About Capsana

Capsana is a social enterprise owned by the ÉPIC Foundation, which is associated with the Montreal Heart Institute, and the Fondation PSI. Its mission is to help individuals take an active role in their health. To find out more, visit capsana.ca.

<sup>1. Léger (2017), Les participants à l’édition 2017 du Défi J’arrête, j’y gagne! – Rapport d’analyse d’un sondage post-Défi.
2. Léger (2017), Notoriété et efficacité perçue de la campagne Défi J’arrête, j’y gagne! 2017.
3. Léger (2017), Les participants à l’édition 2017 du Défi J’arrête, j’y gagne! – Rapport d’analyse d’un sondage post-Défi.
4. West, R. & Stapleton, J. (2008). Clinical and public health significance of treatments to aid smoking cessation. European Respiratory Review, 17 (110), 199-204. Retrieved on December 8, 2016, from http://err.ersjournals.com/content/17/110/199..</sup>