NHS Tayside, in a jointly funded pilot scheme with the Scottish Government, plans to spend £500,000 over the next two years in a bid to persuade almost 1,000 smokers in Dundee to kick their addiction.
Paul Ballard deputy director of public health with NHS Tayside stated that after Glasgow, Dundee has the biggest smoking problem in Scotland. He hopes that the cash incentive helps persuade more people to quit smoking.
He further stated that the project was going to cost approximately 1200 pounds per person. This amount is nothing when compared to the cost of smoking related diseases.
The scheme draws its inspiration from the success of the initiative taken in Tayside called “Give It Up For The Baby” (GIUFTB). This program was an attempt to persuade pregnant women to quit smoking.
The program is for a period of 3 months. Those taking part will receive nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) through their local pharmacy, where they will have to do a weekly carbon monoxide breath test to prove they have kicked the habit.
Participants will receive money credited to a card that can be used to buy groceries. The card cannot be used to purchase cigarettes or alcohol. Participants will also receive social support from the Dundee Healthy Living Initiative (DHLI) where they can access smoking cessation support, physical activities and other lifestyle advice and support.
Last year the Scottish Government challenged NHS Tayside to address smoking is disadvantageous areas. This project seeks to deliver on those lines.
Smoking in Dundee is a difficult problem to tackle but it is hopeful that this approach will encourage smokers to stop smoking for good and choose a healthier life style.
Paul Ballard further said that the committee would approach and encourage about 18,000 people in the city to quit. 1800 of them are expected to join the scheme and it is hoped that 50% of them will actually quit.
Dundee not only has a major smoking problem, but also has a life expectancy rate which is among the lowest in Britain. The area is also the third most deprived in Scotland.
Smoking in enclosed public places has already been banned in Scotland in an attempt to improve people’s health since 2006. Officials state that if this scheme works, it shall be implemented nationally.
But Neil Rafferty, a spokesman for the pro-smoking lobby group Forest, condemned the scheme as a "waste of public money.” He feels that there is nothing wrong with the government trying to persuade people to quit smoking but bribing is not the way.
He quoted, "I would imagine that a lot of non-smokers are going to be pretty annoyed to find that their tax money is being used to help smokers quit. Smoking is a choice that adults should be allowed to make. And the decision to quit should be a choice that they should be allowed to make as well."
The convener of Dundee City Council’s social work and health committee Helen Wright feels that a lot of good work has already been done by the city council and NHS Tayside.
The project with expectant mothers has shown that providing incentives to smokers to help them quit is a tactic that works.
Most citizens who participated in similar programs seem to have liked the concept and adopted healthy practices. Like Ms Young, who started smoking when she was 15, now imposes a total ban on smoking in her home for the sake of her son's health.
Mr. Diamond also praised the scheme. He said: "I would recommend that both parents stop at the same time, not only for their own health, but for the sake of their child's health."
Giving up smoking is the single most important lifestyle decision that anyone can make to improve the quality of their health and lives immediately. Kudos to the Scottish Government for coming up with such a brainwave.
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