On Wednesday 11 March, Havering Council will be supporting the national No Smoking Day, organised by the British Heart Foundation. The aim of the national day is to encourage as many people as possible to try to quit smoking.
Havering Stop Smoking Service will be holding a stall in The Mercury, Romford from 10-12 March where visitors can get CO readings, lung age testing, and advice and support to quit and receive a goody bag.
There are around eight million smokers across the nation, despite the fact that smoking is the primary cause of many preventable illnesses and premature deaths.
There are around 100,000 deaths each year across the UK related to smoking, and the deadline habit harms almost every organ in the body, dramatically reducing quality of life and life expectancy.
In Havering, around 19 per cent of adults smoke, making it the 11th highest for number of adult smokers out of all 32 London boroughs.
This year’s No Smoking Day will benefit from an additional boost following the vote in parliament last month to ban smoking in cars with children inside. This will come into force in October this year, and gives parents an even bigger reason to try and quit.
Councillor Wendy Brice-Thompson, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services and Health, said:
“Quitting such an ingrained habit is never easy, but we all know the benefits of giving up smoking, so it is definitely worth the effort.
“The ban on smoking in cars with children limits the places people can smoke even more, and certainly will ensure many parents have even more reasons to quit. I hope Havering smokers will make this the year they try to quit, and good luck and well done to everyone who attempts it.”
For advice and support to quit call your local Stop Smoking Service on
0800 0320102 (lines open 8am-8pm Mon-Fri and 10am-1pm Sat).
