As part of their American tour, President Xi Jinping and First Lady Peng Liyuan visited the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, where they learned about Jonathan Bricker and the SmartQuit app that helps people quit smoking.
Shan Juan of China Daily spoke to Bricker about smoking, the app and the visit of the presidential couple.
Regarding smoking in the U.S., Bricker said that tobacco is the "single most preventable cause of premature death," citing that there are 42 million smokers in the country.
Bricker said that there are several tools to quit smoking that have proven to be useful, like nicotine patch or gum, but most people simply try to quit on their own. However, only about 4 percent of those that try to quit on their own are successful.
When asked about what measures have been taken in the U.S. to help people quit smoking, Bricker talked about how bans of cigarette advertising and taxation of cigarettes have "helped a lot." However, he said that there needs to be more done to encourage smokers to use the methods that have been proven to work.
"The recent Affordable Care Act is supposed to make quit smoking medications be covered by insurance but the guidelines are broadly written, so coverage by individual insurance companies is not consistent," Bricker added. "And, unfortunately, many people actually have coverage for quit medications but are not aware they do."
When asked about the SmartQuit app, Bricker said, "What's novel is the method offered in the app. We offer a new way to deal with cravings and stay motivated that is based on the principles of acceptance and commitment therapy. The goal of a scientifically proven, new and improved way to quit smoking delivered on an app to many millions of smokers would help us make an impact, saving millions of lives."
Bricker also said that there are plans for a Chinese version of the app, but they are still looking for partners in China, who have expertise in user design.
Regarding his meeting with Peng Liyuan, Bricker said that "she was gracious, attentive and so natural in her manner."
"I especially appreciated hearing her tell me that she has family members who smoke and she wishes for more effective programs to help them quit. To me, that showed great passion for the cause of quitting smoking. So I am hopeful she will help our mission," Bricker added.
Peng is an ambassador for the Chinese Association on Tobacco Control. She has said, "In my own family there are some smokers, and I hope they can find better ways to quit."