Paid to Stop Smoking
By worldwise1
@worldwise1 (14885)
United States
February 12, 2009 8:10am CST
I just finished reading an interesting article about an incentive program initiated by the General Electric Company. It seems that paying some of their employees to quit smoking got some good results. The participants who were paid were not informed that they would be compensated before the fact.
Dangling enough dollars in front of smokers who want to quit helps many more succeed, an experiment with hundreds of General Electric Co. workers indicates. Among those paid up to $750 to quit and stay off cigarettes, 15 percent were still tobacco-free about a year later. That may not sound like much, but it's three times the success rate of a comparison group that got no such bonuses.
There are some who disapprove of this type of incentive program where people are paid to do something they should be doing anyway, but I believe that the ends justify the means. I have been thinking about giving up cigarettes lately and I think I might be enticed to do so if I knew that I might be compensated. What about you?
2 people like this
13 responses
@limitbreaker (253)
• Philippines
13 Feb 09
cool....
I have stopped smoking 7 years ago.
Why? because of my baby. LOL
I don't want my baby to see me smoking and I don't want him to be smoking.
I want to set an example for him.
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
13 Feb 09
You are a shining example for your child, limit.
1 person likes this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
12 Feb 09
Me too! I have tried over and over but haven't been able to. I wonder if that would do it. I wonder what happens if you start back up. It would make others mad that don't smoke though.
2 people like this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
12 Feb 09
I don't think I would have a problem stopping, Thoroughrob, if I would be rewarded in this way. I am a creature of habit and find that some of my negative habits stem from this. If the non-smokers put things in the right perspective they should see that this will benefit everyone in the long run, so there really is no reason to get mad.
@disvachic (10117)
• United States
12 Feb 09
I havent heard about that program.I'm not a smoker but I think its a good idea but will the employee go back to smoking after recieve the money I wonder.I dont know anything that could better their health and help financially thats great.$750 that is a good chunk of money.Thats $750 more than what they have.
1 person likes this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
12 Feb 09
The ratio of 15% who stuck with not smoking might not sound like a lot, disvachic, but a small success is better than no success at all.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
13 Feb 09
My friend, quitting has many compensations in itself. Start with your hair...then your skin, teeth, tongue, breath, clothes, cupboards, house...everything smells better and your skin etc is actually better as is your heart, lungs, veins and arteries...all your bodily tissue actually. Then there are the dollars you save that you no longer spend on the ciggies....it's amazing how well off I was when I quit smoking. If you need help, borrow Alan Carrs Easy Way to Stop Smoking from your library....or simply buy yourself a copy. I guarantee you will stop.
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
13 Feb 09
You might have just convinced me, Ms Tickle!
1 person likes this
@busibee (187)
• United States
13 Feb 09
When I first heard about this I thought it was very interesting. I totally understand the logic behind it, after all, it would save the company on health care, work place performance, and interaction with co-workers. I think any kind of monetary incentive is a great way to promote encourage someone to do (or stop doing) something... but it doesn't make it any easier to do. I think if someone paid me to stop smoking I would definitely give it a shot. XOXO
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
13 Feb 09
All I can say, busibee, is that I hope someone with authority is reading these comments.
1 person likes this
@dmrone (746)
• United States
12 Feb 09
I have been thinking of quitting. I also ,ight be more enticed to quit if there was some compensation. The companies charge more for insurance if you smoke, so why not compensate an employee to quit. It would be an incentive for the ones who actually want to quit, and it will not do anything for the ones who don't.
1 person likes this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
13 Feb 09
Like I said before, dmrone, it's a situation where everybody wins!
@busyB4 (874)
• United States
12 Feb 09
I think it is a good incentive, no one is forced to sdo so, but rewarded if they do. From what I understand this helps also for all employees because it makes for healthier employees and not the risk to insurance people so they dont raise the rates as much for your inurance through the employer. I think this is the purpose for them doing the incentive, and also there are less breaks for workers so more productiveness in the employers eyes
1 person likes this
@trinidadvelasco (11401)
• Philippines
12 Feb 09
although i am not a smoker, worldwise, yet i agree with you that such a kind of incentive will surely make one do it. the difficulty that will have to be dealt with becomes an easier task because, one thinks about the incentive so as to keep on with the fight.
well, we have heard that success needs 99 percent work and one percent inspiration. however, the one percent inspiration is very important so as to complete the 100 percent needed to spell success. this is the reason behind all this success rate at that company.
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
12 Feb 09
I agree with you, trinidadvelasco! In the pursuit of a positive outcome I don't think it matters so much how we get to that point.
@Aurone (4755)
• United States
13 Feb 09
I think it might be a good way to help people. Besides in the long run it would be cheaper to pay people to quit then to pay their hospital bills in the future. I watched someone die from smoking. And I will never ever smoke. But if they would pay me to lose weight and become healthier that would be cool.
1 person likes this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
13 Feb 09
The people who are in power, Aurone, just don't realize that so many of our problems could be over if we were just given the proper incentive.
They throw enormous amounts of money at our problems "researching" them, when they could just as easily go straight to the source.
They throw enormous amounts of money at our problems "researching" them, when they could just as easily go straight to the source.1 person likes this
@di1159 (1580)
• United States
12 Feb 09
I think its a great idea. Big companies like GE probably pay huge insurance premiums and we all know that your premium goes up if you smoke. It is an advantage for both parties. They should add maybe additional incentives and pay something for each year that they remain smoke-free. It might increase the percentage.
1 person likes this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
12 Feb 09
This is true, atish, and it's a case of everybody wins!
@BlueGoblin (1829)
• United States
12 Feb 09
What next?
Getting paid for not sexually harassing hot interns?
@blazextreme (67)
• Canada
13 Feb 09
Pretty cool stuff! I am glad that there are people out there that are trying to stop smoking. I hate people that smoke it disgusts me alot... I don't get why people start in the first place when they know its bad for them!
1 person likes this
@blueberrycake (2)
• China
13 Feb 09
smoking is really hard to health. especilally to those [url=http://www.stonebtb.com]stone[/url] don't smoke but with somkers. it is right to ban smoking!
1 person likes this
