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University of Oxford
Staff and students from across the department took to the high street this weekend to discuss smoking cessation research with the public.
"Kick the habit: what's the evidence?" used props and games to dispell some of the myths around giving up smoking and initiate discussion between the department's smoking cessation researchers and passers by of all ages.
The research presented was the latest from the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group and the Behavioural Medicine team, with the activity led by DPhil student Jamie Hartmann-Boyce.
Taking place in the Town Hall on Saturday, and on Broad Street on Sunday, the interactive stall included information about the contents of tobacco smoke, the pros and cons of e-cigarettes, the physiological benefits of quitting, a 20-a-day jar of tar, a smoking cessation strategies game as well as craft activities for children focused on 'healthy air, healthy lungs'.
Throughout the two days, the public also shared their own experiences of quitting, which were put on display for everyone to see.
Dan Richards-Doran, Communications Manager said: "It was great to take such an important and sometimes controversial topic of department research onto the high street and discuss it with members of the public. The exhibit was designed to be as accessible and informative as possible, while always leading people to seek answers from our experts who were on hand to discuss the latest smoking cessation research. As well as a vast number of healthy lung drawings from young people, we had a lot of adults contributing their own stories of quitting to our quit wall, which helped create a personal touch to the evidence being presented."
The exhibit formed part of the Oxfordshire Science Festival, which runs this year across the city from 23 June - 3 July.