Quit smoking and enjoy the extra cash!

One pack of cigarettes per day adds up to more than $2,000 a year that "goes up in smoke". That's the equivalent of:

• a week's vacation in the south
• a sound system
• a fully equipped bike
• a computer and printer
• 52 dinners at a restaurant
• etc.

Aren't you fed up wasting your money? And what about your health? If you'd like to try quitting for 6 weeks, why not visit www.defitabac.qc.ca and register for the "Quit to Win" Challenge, and reap the benefits!

The Challenge is a great way to help you quit smoking. Thousands of young smokers have participated in the first three annual Challenges and taken up the challenge of kicking the habit!

Some people will be able to quit smoking without any preparation but you increase your chances of success if you take the time to make a plan. You can also obtain support from your partner and the J'ARRETE! hotline at 1-866-527-7383, which provides support and information on quitting smoking.

Step 1: Why and when do you smoke?
Pinpointing the reasons and times that you smoke makes it easier for you to find solutions for making substitutions.

Step 2: Why would you quit smoking?
Cravings during nicotine withdrawal can be difficult to overcome. So you need to keep thinking about the advantages of being a non-smoker and the drawbacks of smoking.

Take heart: on average, these crises only last two or three minutes and occur less frequently after the first week.

Here are some helpful tips to make sure you stick it out:

• Drink a lot of water to suppress the desire to smoke and to clear out your respiratory tract.
• Snack on fruits and vegetables to avoid gaining weight.
• Chew gum so that you have something in your mouth.
• Keep your hands busy by holding an object like a ball, straw, elastic or pencil to distract yourself from wanting a cigarette.
• Learn to relax, purse and unpurse your lips and flex your hands to pass the time and focus on something else.
• Brush your teeth after each meal to change your habits and taste!

Step 3: Do you have the right tools available to quit smoking?
Have you clearly identified your smoking habits and, above all, found some good substitutions? Would a therapeutic aid help you quit smoking? Ask your pharmacist or physician for advice. Non-nicotine therapies (Zyban) and nicotine-replacement therapies (Nicoderm and Nicorette) are now covered by insurance. Also, tell your family and friends about your intentions; they're an important source of support.

Step 4: Get started!
You've set a date to quit smoking so now it's time to get started. Take it one day at a time and keep thinking about the reasons that pushed you to quit smoking.

Remember...

• The partnering concept
  Choosing someone to support you throughout the Challenge increases your chances of success!
• The www.defitabac.qc.ca Web site
  Check out the loft section (in French only), which is dedicated exclusively to young people under the age of 25. You'll find information about the Challenge, about smoking and about the new "Sevrage Show" in which six young people take up the Challenge publicly.