Smoking remains one of the most harmful activities we can voluntarily undertake in our lives, and as such, policy makers the world over are trying to encourage citizens to quit the habit.

I’ve written about a number of innovative interventions, whether that’s deploying the crowd to offer support and advice, or using text messages to keep people on the straight and narrow.

A wearable intervention

With so much wearable innovation in the health and wellness market, it is perhaps not surprising that there are devices to help us quit the habit.  One such is Tosee, a cigarette holder that works with the smoker to help them to quit.

As with many wearable devices, it offers the user a data based approach and aims to present information about our smoking habits to us in a manageable way.

It comes complete with smart sensors that track how many cigarettes we consume, but also the depth of each inhalation and therefore the amount of harmful stuff we’re inhaling with each puff.

The hope is that by taking such a data driven approach to smoking, it will drive home the exact implications our habit is having on our health.

The makers believe that by providing distinctly personal statistics it will drive change much more than the rather impersonal numbers often used in anti-smoking campaigns that smokers are often impervious to.

The device also has a gamification element to it, with users able to set targets for themselves, and to receive reminders to help chivvy them along.  They can also connect up with a community of users to gain some help, support and advice on how to quit.

The device is made by the Chinese startup Angmi and is currently retailing for just under $150.  Hopefully as more users get on board with it, this price will drop and it will become slightly more affordable for the mass market.

It’s certainly an interesting and innovative approach though and well worth checking out.