FDA Encourages Smokers to Keep Quitting with “Every Try Counts” campaign

The FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) agency has partnered with the National Institute of Health National Cancer Institute on an “Every Try Counts” tobacco cessation campaign.

What is “Every Try Counts”?

“Every Try Counts” is a campaign focused on smokers who have made a quit attempt in the previous year. This is the first campaign to encourage smokers to try quitting again and again, if necessary. Traditional campaigns encourage a firm quit date.

The goal of this campaign is to normalize relapse by reframing what success looks like. It encourages the celebration of each quit attempt. The posters are placed near the location of tobacco sales, where strong advertisings increases urges/slip-ups.

According to Anna Abram, FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Policy, Planning, Legislation and Analysis, “Prior Campaigns by the CTP were the most impactful public health investment the FDA has ever made. “

Below is a video from the “Every Try Counts” campaign materials.

Where was the campaign launched?

The campaign launched in gas stations and convenience stores in 35 counties throughout the United States. Wayne County Michigan was selected as a “treatment” market.

Selection was based on high smoking prevalence, adult smoking population, and the media environment. Data will be collected in person and online in 15 campaign-targeted markets and 15 control markets.

Our take on “Every Try Counts”

This is awesome news! It reinforces a message I deliver regularly to discouraged smokers. Our clients often express a sense of hopelessness about their ability to quit smoking. This is a result of numerous failed quit attempts. Failed quit attempts are not only valuable, but statistically necessary!

I can frequently be heard telling customers that quitting is a numbers game. I also describe their quit date/appointment as Game Day. Simply put, it means all previous quit attempts were “practice.” In order to be a nonsmoker, one must be perfect at quitting smoking. Being perfect an anything requires practice.

Quitting deliberately, even if it’s only a few hours, IS an attempt. We consider any attempt at quitting another line on a quit resume.

Who said it best? English poet, Alexander Pope: To Err is Human.