How to Create Demand for Smoking Cessation Programs

A few ways to create demand for smoking cessation activities:

• Feature articles in your company newsletter and on your web site about the benefits of quitting, and highlight services available to smokers wanting to quit.
• Congratulate smokers who have successfully quit.
• Make smoking cessation materials, brochures, etc.available in common areas/break rooms and put information in pay envelopes (view sample paycheck stuffer).
• Participate in events such as The Great American Smokeout (http://www.cancer.org/smokeout or 1 -800-ACS-2345), World No Tobacco Day (http://www.wntd.com or 212-601-8245), or health fairs.
• Bring in people trained in smoking cessation to talk to smokers about the benefits of quitting smoking and the resources available to help.
• Provide smoking cessation information and services to family members of employees who smoke. This will help support the smokers who are trying to quit.
• Consider providing incentives, such as reduced insurance rates or gift certificates, for smokers who quit. Offer gift certificates for baby items to pregnant smokers who successfully quit.
• Combine your quit smoking program with efforts to reduce exposures to other hazards in the workplace. Research has shown this is an effective way to reduce smoking among blue-collar manufacturing workers.