HSE’s QUIT campaign begins a new phase

18 year old Margaret O’Brien tells her story -

More people attempting to give up smoking - 300,000 trying to quit so far.

Smoking is the single biggest cause of illness, disability and death in Ireland, killing over 5,500 people here each year.  The HSE’s ongoing QUIT campaign encourages smokers to try to quit.

Over 15,000 people have now signed up for an online QUITplan since the campaign started in June 2011.  From Irish and international evidence, we know that of all those who try to quit, approximately 5% will use an online support of this kind[1].

As such, 15,000 QUITplans represents a total of about 300,000 smokers in Ireland who have made a quit attempt since the campaign began.  This represents nearly one third of the total number of smokers, and a 200% increase on the number of smokers who are actively trying to quit from the previous year.

The HSE begins a new phase of the QUIT campaign today, featuring the personal story of Margaret O’Brien, aged 18, from Kilkenny.  Margaret’s mother, Jackie, was a long-term smoker and was diagnosed with lung cancer at the age of 45.  Sadly, Jackie passed away only a year after her diagnosis, in the summer of 2010.

Margaret has had the support of her Dad, John, in taking part in the QUIT campaign.  In her QUIT film, she talks about her Mum, what she misses most about her, and how although she knew smoking was harmful, and it could lead to cancer, she would also have thought - 'no one could be that unlucky'.   Describing the impact of her loss she says, 'it's not just for a day, it's not just for a month, it's for the rest of my life without her'. 

Since its launch last year, the QUIT campaign has been focusing on one key fact – that 1 in every 2 smokers will die of a tobacco related disease. The campaign has shown marked and sustained increases in the numbers of people seeking help to quit.

If you would like to try to quit smoking:-

• Visit www.Quit.ie and sign up for an online QUIT plan
• Contact a HSE smoking cessation service near you - www.Quit.ie
• Contact the National Smokers’ Quitline on callsave 1850 201 203 to talk to an advisor
• Join the YOU CAN QUIT Facebook page, where hundreds of quitters are chatting and giving each other support  - www.facebook.com/HSEquit
• Contact your GP, Pharmacist or Dentist, they are a good source of information, advice and support

[1]European Commission. Special Eurobarometer 285. Attitudes of Europeans towards Tobacco. 2012, Brussels.

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Source: HSE.ie, 13/08/12