National No Smoking Day - time to butt out

No smoking sign

National No Smoking Day is 12 March and stop smoking teams will be hitting the streets of Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale to try and help people to finally kick the habit, by taking on the Stop Smoking Challenge. 

On Thursday 6 March, a joint team from Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Primary Care Trust Stop Smoking Service (HMRPCT) and Rochdale Council (RMBC) will be at Rochdale Flea Market, Exchange Shopping Centre, all day, encouraging smokers to plan to quit for the week leading up to big day.  Here smokers will be able to get tips and advice from experts on how they can quit and improve their health.  

The team will also be running the following local Stop Smoking Challenge events:

• Wednesday 12 March- Gaskell Swimming Pool, Heywood, 12-2pm.
• Wednesday 12 March- Tesco, Middleton, all day.
• Thursday 13 March- Rochdale Flea Market, Exchange Shopping Centre all day. 

An information van will be trawling the streets on 6th and 12th to remind people about No Smoking Day and to round events off on 12 March  the team will be doing a walk around Hollingworth Lake, Littleborough, at 5pm and is urging all smokers to join them and take a stand to stop smoking! 

Parts of the Rochdale Borough have smoking rates estimated to be as high as 42%, almost double the national average of 25%.  With a bit of support and medication people are four times as likely to succeed in stopping smoking.  Last year the local Stop Smoking Service supported a massive 1621 people to kick the habit. 

Ingrid Corcos, acting manager for the Stop Smoking Service at HMRPCT, said: “It’s hard enough to quit by yourself so the Stop Smoking Challenge is a great way for people to give up along with other smokers and the help and support of the PCT and the Council.  Giving up can be daunting, particularly when people have smoked for years, so we want to make it fun to keep people motivated, which is why we are doing the walk.  

“I cannot stress how detrimental smoking is to a person’s health, but the majority of smokers know this and would love to free themselves from this addiction.  So, instead of just raising awareness, we want to provide the tools and know how to help people quit for good.”

Top 10 tips for successful quitting:

• Find a friend who’s also going to stop smoking – it’s easier if you’ve got a friend.
• Throw away ashtrays, lighters and cigarettes – you are no longer a smoker.
• Patches (and), nicotine gum or other Nicotine Replacement Therapy are a great way to stop the cravings – and available on prescription from your doctor. Or through your local Stop Smoking Service.
• Enrol in a free NHS stop smoking course – contact TASK Stop Smoking Service on 01706 708000 or your local GP.
• Avoid anyone who isn’t supporting your quit attempt.
• Get out for a walk every time you feel tempted to smoke.
• Join a gym and enjoy a healthy new you.
• Fill the fridge with healthy, low calorie snacks like carrot sticks and celery so if you’re tempted to eat rather than smoke you won’t pile on the pounds.
• Save the money you used to spend on cigarettes in a jar and treat yourself after a month: if you smoked 20 a day, you’ll have saved £156.
• Get yourself a happy to keep you occupied and away from temptation to light up

People can receive additional support by calling the local Stop Smoking Helpline on 01706 708000 or the NHS stop smoking helpline on 0800 169 0 169.

Further information about No Smoking Day can be found at:

• www.nosmokingday.org.uk