As part of the World No Tobacco Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) has multiplied initiatives to fight against smoking. The dissemination of digital tools and exploitation of artificial intelligence are two of the aspects on which the WHO wishes to rely to fight against tobacco. The UN agency specialized in public health has partnered with WhatsApp, Facebook, Viber, Soul Machines and AI Company to offer a virtual assistant to help consumers in their desire to quit smoking.

WHO-led campaign to help tobacco users quit

The “Commit to Quit” campaign was launched by WHO to support tobacco users who want to quit but need help to do so. In 29 target countries, the agency has agreed on initiatives such as national awareness campaigns, new digital tools, policy reviews, youth engagement, training of health workers, opening of new smoking cessation clinics, support for nicotine replacement therapy through WHO partners, free telephone support services, and provision of smoking cessation courses.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said of the campaign:

“Smokers are up to 50% more likely to develop and die from a severe form of COVID-19, therefore quitting smoking is the best thing smokers can do to reduce their risk from this coronavirus, in addition to the risk of developing cancers, heart disease and respiratory diseases. We call on all countries to play their part by joining the WHO campaign and creating smoke-free environments that give people the information, support and tools they need to quit smoking, for good.”

Digital tools to achieve this goal

One of the initiatives launched during this campaign is the “I quit smoking” challenge. Consumers wishing to quit smoking receive, with the help of a tool available on WhatsApp, Viber, Facebook Messenger and WeChat, several tips and encouragement every day, over a period of up to six months. Dr. Rüdiger Krech, Director of the Department of Health Promotion at WHO, said of the creation of a chatbot to help smokers quit:

“To help tobacco users commit to and succeed in quitting smoking, we are using digital tools that will launch the WHO Quit Smoking campaign chatbot and dialogue, using artificial intelligence, with Florence

, a virtual health advisor, and offer advocacy materials in 30 languages.”
This AI-powered digital health agent aims to dispel the – often false – beliefs around COVID-19 and tobacco and help consumers develop free personalized plans to quit smoking.

Translated from L’OMS déploie un assistant virtuel intitulé Florence pour aider les fumeurs à arrêter la cigarette