Throughout our lives, we’re often told not to quit. But when it comes to smoking, outside of never starting, quitting is the best thing we can do for ourselves.

Be it within minutes, weeks, months, or years, quitting smoking brings with it both instant and long-term health benefits. For example, people who smoke can experience a reduction in blood pressure within 20 minutes of quitting. What’s more, lung function is enhanced just 2-12 weeks later. And within 10 years, the risk of developing certain cancers, like those of the pancreas, mouth, and throat, is lowered (1).

Given these well-documented benefits, it’s no surprise that around half of Canadians who smoke attempt to quit each year, often leaning on a variety of aids like nicotine replacement products (e.g., patches and gums) (2). One of the more highly debated quitting supports is incentive-based programs. As the name suggests, these programs provide participants with either a one-time or series of scheduled financial rewards like vouchers for groceries, cash payments, gifts, or the return of money initially deposited by participants. Incentives aim to motivate people to quit and remain smoke free. However, there are big “butts” surrounding their use. One of the main areas of concern is whether these programs are effective, especially after incentives or rewards are no longer provided. To help us see where the evidence stands on effectiveness, let’s turn to a recent systematic review
(3).

What the research says

In terms of effectiveness, the results are positive and based on high certainty evidence, meaning researchers are confident in what was found! The review showed that incentive-based programs help people who smoke quit for six months or more. On top of that, the evidence suggests that quitting is sustained even after rewards are no longer provided to program participants. So, it seems we can lay concerns about long-term effectiveness to bed. That said, we are in need of more research to help us gain a better understanding of whether incentive-based programs are associated with any negative side effects, as well as what types of incentives are most effective (3).

Do you want to quit smoking? Talk to your healthcare team about all available supports, including incentive-based programs, and work together on the creation of a tailored quit plan. You can find plenty of free and accessible provincial and territorial services to add to your plan here (4).

References

1. World Health Organization. Tobacco: Health benefits of smoking cessation. [Internet] 2020. [cited July 2025]. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/tobacco-health-benefits-of-smoking-cessation
2. Reid JL, Hammond D, Burkhalter R, et al. Tobacco use in Canada: Patterns and trends, 2022 Edition. Waterloo, ON: University of Waterloo.
3. Notley C, Gentry S, Livingstone-Banks J, et al. Incentives for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2025; 1:CD004307. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004307.pub7.
4. Government of Canada. Quitting smoking: Provincial and territorial services. [Internet] 2024. [cited July 2025]. Available from: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/smoking-tobacco/quit-smoking/provincial-territorial-services.html