Quitting isn't easy. Yet, with a little support and lots of determination you can overcome every challenge. Research has shown that the chances of staying smoke-free improve by 5 times in the first 28 days of kicking the habit1.
[1] "Clinical and public health significance of treatments to aid smoking cessation. R. West and J. Stapleton. Eur Respir Rev 2008; 17: 110, 199 - 204"
I Quit Programme was previously a cold turkey SMS-based intervention that encourages people who are trying to quit smoking, to stay smoke-free for 28 days. It breaks down the quit journey into daily, small actionable steps, empowering participants with knowledge, motivation and support to remain smoke-free through the crucial 28-day period.
On 31 May 2021, I Quit Programme was enhanced to better support smokers, consisting of the following three new features:
1) A triage survey to better understand a smoker’s level of nicotine dependence and preferences before recommending a programme for their cessation journey
2) Phone counselling via QuitLine and a pilot face-to-face counselling programme at pharmacies located islandwide
3) There will be follow up calls and monthly SMS up to the 12th month of the programme. The intent of the follow-up is to encourage and motivate participants to remain smoke-free and prevent relapse.
I Quit Programme also has a social network of support through a Facebook page with 51,000 supporters. The I Quit Club page features real-life testimonials from ex-smokers, to inspire other smokers in their quit journey; posts from smokers seeking advice on how to quit; and comments from non-smokers penning words of encouragement to those trying to quit.
For more information, as well as to register for the I Quit Programme, please click
here.