Impact of a Community-Wide Stop Smoking Contest

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Abstract
This paper presents the results oj a jollow-up evaluation conducted to assess the impact oj a community-wide stop smoking contest conducted in Buffalo, lVew 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 jollow-up interviews were conducted on a sample oj 411 contestants six weeks and eight months ajter the quit date. A total oj 2,565 smokers enrolled in the contest. Compared to smokers in the general population, contestants were more likely to be jemale, white, under age 40, and smoke 25 or more cigarettes daily. Over 90 percent oj contestants attempted to stop smoking, 51 percent quit jar the 3D-day contest period, and 32 percent were not smoking ajter eight months.