November 13, 2012 — /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — About 70% of the 46.6 million smokers in the U.S. would like to quit the habit, according to reports by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Thousands will try to quit on November 15, the 37th annual Great American Smokeout and even more will commit on their birthday or New Year’s. But chances are they’ll be puffing away in just a few weeks.

The average quit attempt lasts just eight days before smokers relapse, according to research by the University of Vermont. To help increase the chances of long-term success, public health experts recommend using Monday prompts to help smokers stay quit. Weekly reminders after pledging to quit could catch many smokers before they fall off the wagon, or help them jump back on if they’ve already relapsed.

“Research shows that Monday is the day people are open to starting healthy behaviors, so it’s a good day to quit, celebrate success, and recover from relapses,” said Joanna Cohen, director of the Institute for Global Tobacco Control at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “Smoking is the number one cause of preventable death, so improving chances of success can save lives.”

LINK TO ARTICLE