Quit For A New Beginning

Malay smokers celebrate the New Year by stubbing out with the Muharram Challenge
The Health Promotion Board (HPB) is encouraging Malay smokers to celebrate the start of a new year with a resolution to participate in the Muharram Challenge, a four-week Quit & Win competition to motivate smokers to quit smoking. This challenge aims to equip smokers with the knowledge and skills to quit smoking while creating a supportive environment by involving their families and friends in the activities and quit journey.

2 According to the 2007 National Health Surveillance Survey (NHSS), 13.6% of Singapore residents aged 18 to 69 years smoked daily. This is a slight increase from 12.6% in 2004. Smoking was most common among the Malays, with a prevalence of 23.2%, compared to 12.3% in Chinese and 11.4% in Indians. In 2007, there were also significantly more Malay men who smoked, with more than four in ten (41.3%) Malay male smokers, compared to about 2 in 10 Chinese (21.2%) and Indian males (20.6%) who smoked. This is a significant increase from 29.9% in 2004.

3 Quitting smoking is indeed challenging but it is not impossible. With strong determination, professional quit advice and support provided by family members, smokers are 4 times more likely to succeed in quitting smoking , compared to quitting on their own. We also want smokers to realise that quitting smoking will not only make a difference to their lives, but that of their families as well. For example, an average of $4000 can be saved annually if someone kicks the habit. The money saved from buying cigarettes can be better spent on things for the children or other necessities. said Ms JoAnn Taylor, Deputy Director, Substance Abuse, Adult Health Division, Health Promotion Board.

4 At the launch of the Muharram Challenge, the participants and their family will be invited to attend quit smoking workshops to better understand the benefits of quitting smoking, how to quit, and coping strategies. Supporters of the participants will also learn tips to provide practical and emotional support to their loved ones to overcome withdrawal symptoms and tempting situations. For example, offering encouragement and little rewards over the Challenge period or placing visual cues in the house to remind him to stay smoke free.

5 An outdoor teambuilding activity will be conducted on the 27 December to allow the participants to build rapport with one another while strengthening the family bond. Participants will undergo activities and quizzes which will test them on their quit resolve and ability to apply the coping strategies. Subsequently on the 10 January, participants will be engaged in a testimonial sharing session where each participant and their supporter will be asked to talk about their quit experience, challenges and achievements in overcoming the smoking habit.

6 For the first time, participants will be provided with new quit options such as phone counselling and a SMS programme which will send motivational messages on a weekly basis. The SMS programme includes bite-sized quit tips and motivational quotes to encourage smokers to stay smoke free. To ensure that participants stay smoke free, they will undergo random smokerlyser testings conducted by HPB roving testers. The smokerlyser test will detect the level of carbon monoxide in the smoker.

7 Into its 6th year now, more than 4000 smokers and their supporters have participated in Muharram Challenge. HPB has also seen an increase in the participants who have quit successfully at the end of the Challenge from 12% in 2005 to nearly 15% last year. Winners of the Muharram Challenge 2010 will be announced on the 17 January 2010. Participants who are successful in staying smoke free will stand a chance to win the grand prize of S$2,500.

Muharram Challenge
Objectives
The objectives of Muharram Challenge (MC) are:

To motivate and encourage smokers to quit smoking by increasing their level of readiness to change
To equip smokers with the knowledge and skills and empower them to quit smoking
To create a social support network for the smokers by involving their family and friends in the activities and equip them with encouragement tips to support smokers in their quit attempt
Programme highlights for Muharram Challenge

The four-week challenge consists of weekly activities to keep the participants in check throughout their quit journey.

(I) Launch Day 20 Dec 2009, Sunday
At the MC launch event, some simple tests will be conducted to assess participants smoking level. Our Quit Consultant will conduct a smoking cessation workshop to help participants better understand their reasons for smoking, the ill effects of smoking, and find reasons to quit smoking. Participants will also learn about the different quit methods and how to overcome withdrawal symptoms.

MC supporters will attend a parallel track which will additionally cover tips to provide practical and emotional support to their loved ones to overcome withdrawal symptoms as well as tempting situations. A supporter of an ex-MC participant will also be sharing her personal tips and challenges in helping someone quit successfully.

(II) Outdoor Teambuilding Event 27 Dec 2009, Sunday
To help MC participants build rapport as well as create the support network necessary to encourage them to remain smoke free, an outdoor teambuilding event will be conducted at East Coast Park. Teambuilding activities in the form of telematches and problem solving quizzes will help participants discover tips on dealing with tempting situations and help them apply the knowledge and coping strategies.

Participants and supporters will be awarded points for the telematches as well as quiz activities. These points will contribute to the final assessment which will determine the MC winners.

(III) Testimonial Sharing session 10 January 2010
Conducted in the form of support group session, the testimonial sharing session will invite all the MC participants and their supporters to give a recount of the achievements and challenges in quitting over the past weeks. The Quit Consultant will facilitate the session and provide further encouragement and preparation for the finale event and relapse prevention post MC.

(IV) Finale 17 January 2010
MC participants who have been successful in staying smoke free will be invited to this celebratory event. Prizes will be awarded for the active participation in weekly events. Winners of MC 2010 will also be sharing about his personal quit journey.

PRIZES

Prize

Worth

1st

$2,500

2nd

$1,500

3rd

$1,000

In addition, 20 achievement prizes worth $100 each for participants who quit smoking successfully.

West R, McNeil A and Raw M. Thorax 2000; 55: 987 999. Treating tobacco use and dependence. A clinical practice guideline.