As the number of people quitting smoking last year falls by 24%, no smoking day challenges 12 million people to kick the habit 

As the number of people quitting smoking last year falls by 24%, no smoking day challenges 12 million people to kick the habit 

It’s national No Smoking Day again, a day when a quarter of the UK population – that’s 12 million smokers - are encouraged to kick their habit. In fact, every year more than a million people quit smoking on No Smoking Day. The campaign will also highlight the benefits of stopping smoking and how to get help.

Research* shows that that 24% fewer people quit smoking (April 2008 to September 2008), compared to the same period in 2007 – the months straddling the introduction of the smoking ban in July 2007 – when the number of quitters was exceptionally high. Worryingly, the number of smokers who managed to stay off cigarettes four weeks after quitting fell to 133,704 2008, a 24% fall compared to the same period in 2007 when 176,277 successfully quit. So how can you quit for good?

Visiting a local pharmacy should be the first step for smokers who want to quit for good on No Smoking Day. Pharmacists are at the front line of helping people to stop smoking, and can provide expert advice and support. They are also among the most accessible of healthcare professionals, with branches open in the high street at convenient times, often when GP surgeries are closed.  99% of people can reach a pharmacy within 20 minutes of their home and many offer private consultation rooms.

For a video of ideas watch this one

*NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care

Web: www.rpsgb.org.uk