Go smoke-free for 2006

Give up smoking

Have you thought about making your place smoke free? Whether it's your home, school or workplace, Rochdale Council and the Primary Care Trusts for Rochdale and Heywood and Middleton are encouraging you to think about clearing the air for the New Year.

Rochdale PCT and Heywood and Middleton PCT became completely smoke free this month. Rochdale Council is looking to ensure that all its staff are protected from the effects of second-hand smoke at work, by reviewing their current no smoking policy too.

The FooBar, 14/16 Market Street, Heywood is one business taking steps to protect their workers and customers by having a smoke free night at the club on Friday 27 January. Everyone is invited to have a night out, breathing clean air and not going home smelling of smoke, because for that night smoking will be banned in the club. This is a great opportunity for all those people who chose to stop smoking for their New Year's resolution to go out and enjoy a drink in a smoke free atmosphere.

Smoking is the largest cause of preventable illness. It is estimated that there is at least one funeral a day in the borough that is as a direct result of smoking. Providing smoke-free buildings is the best way of helping those people who want to stop smoking. However, it is not only the people who smoke that are affected by smoking. There is a direct link between breathing in other peoples' smoke and ill health.

Some of the immediate effects of second-hand smoke include eye irritation, headaches, coughs, sore throats, dizziness and nausea. Adults with asthma can experience a significant decline in lung function, whilst new cases of asthma may be induced in children. Short-term exposure to tobacco smoke also has a measurable effect on the heart in non-smokers and just 30 minutes exposure is enough to reduce coronary blood flow.

In the longer term, people exposed to second-hand smoke suffer an increased risk of a range of smoking-related diseases. Non-smokers, who are exposed to passive smoking in the home, have a 25 per cent increased risk of heart disease and lung cancer.

It is estimated that exposure to second-hand smoke in the UK causes around 11,300 deaths a year.

The government is proposing legislation to make all workplaces smoke free by Summer 2007. The Borough of Rochdale is committed to working towards being smoke free. A strategy and action plan for the borough has been developed on how this can be achieved.

Anyone interested in making their home or business smoke free can find out more information from Lisa Barker, Smoke Free Project Lead on (01706) 864255.

Other smoke free venues in the borough can be found on the website www.smokefreenorthwest.co.uk.

If you're a smoker wishing to give up, call the NHS Stop Smoking Helpline on 0800 1690169 or TASK, the local Stop Smoking Service on (01706) 708000, between 10.00am and 2.00pm. Alternatively, visit www.givingupsmoking.co.uk

Further information Lisa Barker, Smoke Free Project Lead Tel (01706) 864255