An evaluation of the 1996 No Smoking Day in Wales

This paper reports on a panel survey undertaken by Health Promotion Wales to evaluate the impact that No Smoking Day 1996 had on smokers in Wales and to what extent the day met its main objectives. Baseline interviews with 829 smokers were conducted shortly before No Smoking Day and two follow-up surveys were conducted, one a week after and one three months after the day. The findings indicate a high level of awareness of No Smoking Day and an encouraging level of participation on the day. Longer-term impact on cessation is more difficult to assess but the findings indicate a quit rate at three months in the range of 0.3 to 1.8 per cent. Further analysis suggests that certain groups of smokers, and smokers at certain stages of quitting, are more likely to be motivated by the day, in particular those who had firm plans to quit at the time of the interviews.