Smokers urged to quit

Smoking

Smokers in Rochdale who are considering quitting in January are being urged by experts to give it a go to improve their health and have more money in their pocket.

The message comes at a time when thousands of local smokers aim to quit as part of their New Year’s resolutions.

Free support is available to smokers through Rochdale stop smoking service and through NHS Quit Kits, which are available from local pharmacies.

NHS support is estimated at being four times more effective than going ‘cold turkey’ .

The call to quit follows a hard hitting New Year Department of Health campaign that features TV ads showing a tumour growing on a cigarette as it is smoked, which is designed to show that every cigarette is potentially harmful.

There are around 37,000 smokers in Rochdale and smoking costs the region approximately 60 million pounds every year through costs to NHS services, loss of work from sick days and early death, as well as litter and fires.

Ann Howarth, Stop Smoking Service Lead at Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust in Rochdale, said: “We want to help as many people as possible in Rochdale to kick the habit this January. There is a wide range of support available, including our local stop smoking services, which last year helped over 1,900 people in Rochdale successfully quit. Everyone wanting to stop smoking will be offered advice and support to help them in their quit attempt. If you’ve been thinking about quitting, now is the time to do it.”

Andrea Crossfield, Director of Tobacco Free Futures, the North West regional body for tobacco control, said: “Smoking is still Rochdale’s biggest killer, claiming the lives of around 400 people each year, yet people still underestimate the serious damage to health caused by smoking, which ultimately kills half of all long-term users. The fact that every single packet of cigarettes is doing you harm is a good reason to make the change and become a non-smoker."

Anyone wanting to quit can contact Rochdale stop smoking service on 0161 655 1581 or visit www.smokefree.nhs.uk for information, support and to find the nearest participating pharmacy for a free Quit Kit.

Top 10 tips for quitting this January

1. Put the money you save from not buying cigarettes in a tin – and if you’re tempted, go and look at it to remind yourself how much you are saving.
2. Remember why you’re quitting – for a family member, to save money, for your health.
3. Quitting smoking will help reduce your risk of diseases such as cancers, heart disease and stroke – and can help you ward off chest infections, colds and flu better over the winter months.
4. If you are a long-term smoker, you may associate smoking with certain activities or times of the day. Changing your routine will help such as having a piece of fruit rather than a cigarette straight after a meal.
5. If you quit on January 1 and make it through to the end of January you are five times more likely to stay quit.
6. If you used to smoke with colleagues at work, try taking a short walk around your office building as an alternative break from work demands.
7. If you’re going to quit or have recently quit, throw away all ashtrays, matches and lighters.
8. Don’t undo all your good work by thinking ‘one cigarette won’t hurt’- it could make your craving worse and knock you off track.
9. Concentrate on how well you’re doing and remind yourself why you wanted to quit smoking in the first place and focus on that.
10. Find a new hobby – New Year is a great time and it will help to distract you from wanting to smoke.