Quash provides support to teens who want to quit vaping and smoking
Canadian teens who turned to smoking and vaping at alarmingly high rates during the pandemic to cope with stress and deteriorating mental health have a new app to support quitting.
Quash is a free, made-in-Canada app based on behaviour change science to help teens quit their way, free of the judgement that can often lead to setbacks.
A recent study shows that during the pandemic, about 70 per cent of youth ages six to 18 experienced depression, anxiety, irritability, a lower attention span, or obsessions and compulsions. During these difficult times, teens turned to alcohol, cannabis, smoking and vaping to cope.
“As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues and pandemic restrictions are lifted across the country, we’re proud to help young Canadians get their health back on track to avoid the debilitating effects of lung disease and support a lifetime of lung health,” says Peter Glazier, Executive Vice President of the Lung Health Foundation.
Created by the Lung Health Foundation, the leading national charity dedicated to improving the lung health of Canadians, with financial support from Health Canada, Quash includes tools and calculators to keep teens motivated to make long-lasting changes to live vape and smoke-free.
With Quash, teens can design a quit plan that works for them. They can set personalized goals for quitting and create new healthy habits. They can log their cravings, manage their triggers, track their progress and celebrate their wins by earning cool badges to keep them motivated. The app even features a cost calculator so teens can see how much money they’re saving by not buying cigarettes or vape products.
“In as little as nine months after quitting, lungs show big improvements and are better able to fight infections like COVID-19,” says Glazier. “Teens find that their mood begins to improve and they’re able to get back into sports once they quit. Which makes all the difference when it comes to their positive mental health and well-being.”
Quash is available in English and French on Google Play, the App Store and www.quashapp.com.
