Jan 14, 2019

The Quit Crowd!

cigarette buttA New Local Social Media Resource to Quit Smoking

Tobacco use remains one of the biggest public health concerns in Canada, particularly among youth and young adults.  In Manitoba, 1 in 7 people are smokers and young adults aged 18-24 have the highest rate of smoking at 21%. 

In parallel, more Canadians than ever are connected to social media and that number is growing at a steady pace.  This unprecedented growth in the use and availability of social media may afford new venues for supporting tobacco cessation efforts.

What’s the key for success? 

Longitudinal data suggest that individuals who were able to successfully quit smoking had more network ties and had more direct interactions with others over social media compared to those who did not quit.  Social interaction and users’ engagement have been consistently documented as a predictor of health behavior change.

Considering that social media have shown promising results for reaching adolescents and young adults and for targeting substance use behaviors, the Manitoba Tobacco Reduction Alliance (MANTRA) decided to create a new digital resource that could help thousands of Manitobans to stop smoking.

MANTRA is proud to announce the debut of The Quit Crowd! The Quit Crowd is MANTRA’s Facebook and Twitter community that is a diverse and welcoming community of Manitobans looking to quit smoking or stay smoke-free.  Members will be able to receive tips and information on how to live a smoke-free life as well as view real life testimonials on people that have successfully quit.

MANTRA encourages you to like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter:

So if you are a smoker, an ex-smoker, someone who knows a smoker, a health care provider or just someone being curious about how good it feels to be supported while going through challenges, join this amazing local community! 

Everyone starts with Day 1 … why not let today be that day!

Sources:

  • Naslund J, Kim S, Aschbrenner K, McCulloch L, Brunette M, Dallery J, et al. (2017). Systematic review of social media interventions for smoking cessation. Addictive Behaviors, 73, 81-93.
  • Manitoba Tobacco Reduction Alliance - http://www.mantrainc.ca/
  • Rootman, I., Pederson, A., Frohlich, K.L.,, Dupéré, S. (Eds). (2017). Health promotion in Canada: new perspectives on theory, practice, policy, and research.  Fourth edition. Toronto, ON: Canadian Scholars Press.