New Iowa Survey Shows 61 Percent of Smokers Want to Quit Smoking

PARSIPPANY, N.J., Sept. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A new survey conducted by the makers of Nicorette uncovered insights into the attitudes and habits of Iowa smokers and found 61 percent of smokers would like to quit smoking, and many are seriously considering quitting in the next six months.

Health concerns and cost topped the list of motivations to quit smoking, with about two-thirds of Iowa smokers citing each as a reason to kick the habit. Further, 46 percent of Iowa smokers said they would consider quitting because it sets a bad example for children or others, while 45 percent said they would quit at the request of friends or family.

"The survey shows there is motivation among Iowa smokers to quit in the near future, which means having safe and effective resources available to them is critical," said Dr. Cheryl Healton, president and CEO of Legacy. "There are so many proven resources available to help improve smoker's chances of quitting successfully. The smoke swap event in Des Moines on Sept. 23 is a great way to help get those individuals who want to quit on the right path to becoming smoke-free."

The survey also showed over half of Iowa smokers who have tried to quit within the last year have gone cold turkey, with only a quarter using some type of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). Almost half (46 percent) of Iowa smokers who have not tried to quit in the past year said they were interested in NRT.

Nicorette, with its long standing and trusted heritage, wants to help Iowa smokers quit. On Sunday, Sept. 23, Nicorette invites all local smokers to come by the "Nicorette Smoke Swap" at participating Walmart stores in the Des Moines area from 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. CDT. Smokers can trade in their cigarettes for a coupon for one free Nicorette gum 20ct. Participating Walmart stores include:

• 1002 SE National Dr., Ankeny, IA 50021
• 5101 SE 14th St., Des Moines, IA 50320
• 1001 73rd St., Des Moines, IA 50324
• 3501 8th St. SW, Altoona, IA 50009

Nicorette, a nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) that helps relieve cravings and withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting smoking, has helped millions of U.S. smokers quit and as a result, significantly reduced their exposure to the risks of cancer and other smoking-related diseases.

For helpful information about quitting and to connect with other smokers interested in quitting, visit www.Nicorette.com or facebook.com/Nicorette. Another resource for smokers through Legacy is www.BecomeAnEX.org.

About the Survey

This survey was sponsored by the makers of Nicorette and conducted online and by telephone by Richard Day Research, a Market Probe company, between September 5th and 9th, 2012.

The Iowa survey was conducted among 582 adult smokers. To be considered a smoker, a person had to have smoked one cigarette in the prior 30 days. Surveys were conducted both by telephone and online from adults selected from panels maintained by Survey Sampling International.

The survey was weighted to reflect age and gender demographics of smokers in Iowa. With pure probability samples of this size, one could say with 95 percent probability that the results have a sampling error of +/- 4 percentage points.

About GlaxoSmithKline® Consumer Healthcare

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare is one of the world's largest over-the-counter consumer healthcare products companies.  Its more than 30 well-known brands include the leading smoking cessation products, Nicorette^®and NicoDerm^®CQ^®, as well as many products such as alli^®, Aquafresh^®, Sensodyne^®, and TUMS^® -- which are trademarks owned by and/or licensed to GlaxoSmithKline Group of Companies.

About GlaxoSmithKline®

GlaxoSmithKline – one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For company information visit: GSK.com.

Dr. Healton endorses the use of evidence-based online smoking cessation counseling and FDA-approved NRT products; however, she does not endorse specific brands.  

SOURCE GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare