‘This is your mother: I’m disappointed in you’

Researchers at two universities in Western Australia have developed a plastic case into which smokers can place their cigarettes but remove them only at the cost of hearing some form of quit smoking message, according to a healthcanal.com story.

Smokers can record their own voice, that of somebody else or any other sound that reminds them of the reasons why they want to quit, and that soundtrack will play every time the case is opened.

Associate Professor Paul Chang from Edith Cowan University’s School of Psychology and Social Science said the idea was to tap into the smoker’s own motivations for quitting.

“To change behaviour, it is very important for people to have their own personal motivation to do so,” he said.

“The hope is that by reminding smokers of their own personal reason for quitting every time they open the packet will give them a powerful motivation to quit once and for all.

“One thing I think that could be particularly effective for parents who smoke would be to get their children to record the message encouraging them to kick the habit.”

Others might think that a more effective message for young men would be one from their mothers that said, in a resigned manner: “I’m afraid I’m rather disappointed in you”.

The other university involved in the study was Curtain University.

The story is at: http://www.healthcanal.com/public-health-safety/60052-the-cigarette-pack-that-talks-back.html.