London - Bribing smokers is the most effective way of getting them to quit the habit, a study suggests.
Researchers found that four financial incentive programmes, each worth roughly £510 (about R9 000) six months, all helped more smokers kick the habit than providing free access to counselling and nicotine replacement therapy.
The team from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia assigned 2 538 volunteers into five groups.
Sixteen percent of those assigned to two programmes where they earned a reward for quitting remained smoke-free after six months.
For those in two programmes where they had to put up a £95 deposit but could also earn cash the figure was 10 percent. For those who had counselling and nicotine therapy it was six percent.
Daily Mail