The Bermudian Pharmaceutical Association (BPA), in partnership with the Argus Group, TB Cancer and Health Association, and Open Airways are to mark National Quit Day 2004 by bringing the world?s leading quit smoking clinic to Bermuda for five days later this month.

The Carr Method was developed by Allen Carr, a former chain smoker, in 1983.

Since then, Carr?s reputation has grown widely. He is generally considered to be the world?s leading expert on quitting smoking.

Carr?s method is also endorsed by the global tobacco control establishment. In 1998 Carr was invited to address the World Health Organisation?s Tobacco Free Initiative ? the only person without medical qualifications ever to have been invited to do so.

Today, Carr?s 53 clinics in 23 countries help over 55,000 smokers every year. His books on quitting smoking have topped bestseller lists in nine European countries and have sold over six million copies.

The growth of the Carr approach is due to the astonishing success rates of his programme. In a recent clinical evaluation conducted by noted researcher, Professor Manfred Neuberger on behalf of the Austrian Ministry of Health, over 63 percent of clinic attendees were still smoke free one year after attending the clinic.

This compares very favourably with the six to eight percent success rates of nicotine replacement products and other pharmacological approaches. Cold Turkey or pure willpower has a three to five percent success rate in one year.

?The key to finding it easy and enjoyable to quit smoking and stay happily (off cigarettes) is to remove the desire to smoke,? says Damian O?Hara, who heads up Carr?s operations in North America and was a former three packs-a-day smoker who quit at Carr?s London clinic.

?With no desire to smoke, it doesn?t take willpower not to do so. We help smokers to understand and remove their desire to smoke.

?We welcome the opportunity to work with smokers in Bermuda and would like to thank the BPA for their leadership and generosity in extending such a wonderful invitation to us.?

Peter French of the BPA, a former smoker who himself quit using the Carr method, is determined to give Bermudians access to Carr?s unique approach.

?It really can be surprisingly easy to quit smoking but only with the correct mental approach. Carr teaches smokers how to approach the smoking problem properly.?

The Carr approach is cognitive therapy, the ?talking cure? developed by Aaron Beck. It is delivered via a five-hour group session (during which attendees are welcome to smoke) by a trained Carr facilitator. A facilitator is being flown in from Toronto to conduct the sessions.

The BPA and its partners will offer five sessions on Sunday, May 23 at 1 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday (May 25-28) at 9 a.m.

The cost to attend the session ? usually $350 ? is being subsidised by the BPA, the Argus Group, TB Cancer and Health Association, and Open Airways.

A place at one of the sessions will cost smokers just $170 ? less than the price of a month of cigarettes for most smokers. Spaces at the sessions will be strictly limited.

?To book a place or get more information, call Peter French (BPA) at 333-2266, Rachael Andrade (TB Cancer and Health) 236-0949 or Liz Boden (Open Airways) 232-0264. For additional information contact Damian O?Hara at Allen Carr (International) at (905) 849-7736 or by e-mail at damianallencarrseasyway.ca