Impact of a community-wide stop smoking contest

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents the results of a follow-up evaluation conducted to assess the impact of a community-wide stop smoking contest conducted in Buffalo, New York in January 1988. The contest challenged smokers to make a pledge to quit jar 30 days to have a chance to win $1,000 cash, a vacation trip, or other prizes. Finalists were randomly selected and chemically tested to verify abstinence. Telephone follow-up interviews were conducted on a sample of 411 contestants six weeks and eight months after the quit date. A total of 2,565 smokers enrolled in the contest. Compared to smokers in the general population, contestants were more likely to be female, white, under age 40, and smoke 25 or more cigarettes daily. Over 90 percent of contestants attempted to stop smoking, 51 percent quit jar the 3D-day contest period, and 32 percent were not smoking after eight months.