Lil Rusch, BC Lung Association Volunteer Director for the Osoyoos/Oliver region encourages British Columbians who smoke to give quitting a try for 24 hours for a chance to win $250.

British Columbia has the lowest smoking rate in Canada – just 11.4 percent — and so has much to celebrate this World No Tobacco Day (May 31). The BC Lung Association believes we can do better still, and is calling on the 500,000 British Columbians who continue to smoke to commit to a 24 hour quit by signing up for the Tobacco Free Tuesday contest on June 2nd.

Held on the first Tuesday of every month, Tobacco-Free Tuesdays provides aspiring quitters the challenge and incentive to quit smoking for 24 hours for their chance to win $250 cash – about the equivalent a pack-a-day smoker will save a month by quitting. The contest is open to all British Columbians who are current or recently-quit smokers and 19 years or older.

“Today, there are more than twice as many former smokers than there are current smokers. Quitting smoking may not be easy, but clearly it can be done,” says Lil Rusch, BC Lung Association Volunteer Director for the Oliver region.

“The goal of the contest is to give people the extra motivation they need to overcome their fears of failure, the incentive to commit to a day, and ultimately the confidence of achieving that first 24 hour milestone,” explains Rusch. “The trick to quitting smoking is that there is no trick. You’ve just got to go for it – and stay persistent!”