The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

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The Great American Smokeout

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TimerCap stop smoking kit Photo credit: TimerCap

The Great American Smokeout happens every year on the third Thursday of November and it’s the day for people who plan to quit smoking or need an extra push to quit. Some also use this day to celebrate however long they’ve been able to go without smoking.

TimerCap is a stopwatch that is on top of a medicine bottle cap and it helps you figure out the last time you took your medicine. It’s supposed to help keep people from stealing your medicine. Larry Twersky is the CEO of TimerCap LLC and he also served as the president of 1-800-DENTIST. He also served on the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics Dean’s Council of Advisors at CSUN.

I spoke to Director of Public Relations for TimerCap LLC, Phillip Sugarman, about TimerCap and their smoking cessation program.

Tell me about TimerCap.

The TimerCap is a stopwatch on top of a medicine bottle cap that lets you know the last time you took your medication. There are no buttons or alarms to program. The TimerCap is currently being used worldwide to help fight the opioid epidemic by deterring others from getting into your medicine cabinet. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, 52 percent of all opioid addictions start in the medicine cabinet. Most people don’t want to get caught stealing medication in other people’s medicine cabinets. Since the TimerCap counts the exact time in between the last dose, it provides a deterrent. The TimerCap also follows five out of the six safety principles against prescription drug abuse.

TimerCaps are currently sold at CVS and Rite Aid Pharmacies Nationwide and at TimerCap.com.

Tell me about the smoking cessation program that is offered with TimerCap.

Smoking habits are complex and include physical, emotional, behavioral and social components that make it difficult to quit. The TimerCap Smoking Cessation Kit brings those components to the forefront, so the smoker can access how to tackle each obstacle and results in a better chance to reach a permanent solution. The Kit is a perfect addition to any cessation program by providing a foolproof tool for people to stop unconsciously smoking and notice the duration between smokes while tracking why they are smoking so they can choose long-term success.

Below are the steps for the TimerCap Smoking Cessation program.

1) Take your pack of cigarettes (20) lighter, and Tobacco tracker and place in the Timer Cap bottle and close.

2) Choose the duration that is slightly longer than you normally would. The Timer on the top of the bottle will automatically start counting the seconds, minutes, and hours so you know exactly how long it has been to wait for that time (hopefully longer) in between smokes. Write on the tracker form the trigger for smoking and how it made you feel.

3) Continue elongating the duration and try to see a pattern for triggering the smoking to avoid or replace the smoking with an alternative such as gum.

The kit includes a TimerCap, bottle, pencil and tracker forms.

What are other kinds of programs available?

TimerCap currently has a Mary Jane Collection that will let you know if your roommate got into your stash. It will also let you track the last time you smoked so you know when it is safe to get behind the wheel. We also have a Bluetooth enabled product called the iCap that connects to a smartphone app. The cap connects to the TimerCap or Medisafe app and will remind you to take your medication. The cap sends alerts to your phone either through email or text to take your medication. The application will also allow for caregivers, family members, and even your doctor to check up to see if you are taking your medication. The iCap is also sold on TimerCap.com.

Can people get trial runs of programs to see if they like it before paying or anything?

We don’t have a trial run program but for any individual that wants to buy the product, they can get 25% off with the code CSUN2017 on TimerCap.com.

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