Talk about a teachable moment: Watch yourself having a heart attack!

Oh wad some power the giftie gie us
To see oursel’s as others see us!

The poet Robert Burns would have enjoyed this: Smokers who watch simulated videos of themselves having a heart attack are more likely to be more successful in stopping smoking. Talk about a teachable moment!

Researchers inserted photographs of 13 smokers (average age 45) with no related illness, their nonsmoking partner and family members into a video depicting the smoker having a heart attack — with all the potential personal and family consequences.

Seven participants had observable responses to the video including looking uncomfortable, red eyes and difficulty speaking. Self reports included “awareness of the important things” and “feeling it was very real.”

Researchers evaluated carbon monoxide levels and smoking status at baseline, 1 week, 3 months and 6 months. At week one, they found that: Seven smokers reported they had stopped smoking (four people also used quitting aids). The daily average cigarette consumption fell from 17.3 to 2.7 cigarettes. Carbon monoxide levels decreased from 15.7 to 3.1 ppm (parts per million).

At 6 months, seven of the 13 participants still weren’t smoking. (And no, it was not just those who ad emotional reactions to the video simulation)

There was 3 months of face-to-face counseling, too, for the participants, so it's hard to determine how much of the response seen in this study was due to just the video. But it certainly is promising.

One suggestion for upping smoking cessation rates even further: After the video, have a lawyer present offering discounted will preparation services.