CEASE Baltimore Launches Monday-Enhanced Smoking Cessation Program

Underserved and low-income communities are most affected by cigarettes and tobacco products. In many cases, there’s a lack of awareness as to the extent of the damage that habitual cigarette smoking can have on an individual’s overall health.

To reach at-risk populations in Baltimore, Maryland, Morgan State University’s smoking cessation initiative, Communities Engaged in Advocating for a Smoke Free Environment (CEASE), collaborated with Quit and Stay Quit Monday and the Johns Hopkins’ Institute for Global Tobacco Control to bring the Monday messaging to their current cessation initiatives.

The partnership between QSQM and CEASE is an important one because it shows how wellness programs can be enhanced and embellished through the adoption of the Monday Refresh or weekly cue to recommit to your goal — whether it’s quitting smoking, eating healthier, or being more physically active.

Participants include adult residents of Baltimore who currently smoke but want to quit. They will take part in 12-weeks of curated messaging, classes, and in-person mentorship facilitated by selected peer motivators. The Monday approach was strategically integrated into the current CEASE program: classes were scheduled for Mondays, participants were asked to set a Monday quit date and sign up for a weekly QSQM newsletter deployed every Monday, which includes informative articles, actionable practices, and graphics to support the messaging.

To evaluate the success of the partnership between CEASE and QSQM, participants reported on self-efficacy, program satisfaction, and length of quit attempts as well as periodic carbon monoxide testing.