Over 2500 people across Lincolnshire were supported to become smoke free last year
Research shows there were over 400,000 hospital admissions in England due to smoking in 2022-23
There are fresh calls for smokers across Lincolnshire and Newark to quit, as new figures show cigarettes are responsible for around 64 thousand deaths a year in England.
Last year One You Lincolnshire helped over 2 and a half thousand people become smoke free in the county
Theresa Shortland is the Stop Smoking Lead and tells us why people are encouraged to quit:
"They're going to see benefits to their breathing, their heart health, their whole body and actually, they might, at the other end of it, become more active themselves, be able to join in more day to day activities and also save a lot of money which can be a really strong motivator for people at the moment as well."
She added that the service can help anyone in the county:
"We always say it's never too late to quit. Your body will see benefit right away from quitting smoking; people's breathing rate will return back to normal, their heart rate can return back to normal and the risks of heart disease and cancers can actually reduce in half over years and years.
"We've got programs to suit all residents of Lincolnshire, to help people with their weight management being more active, reducing their alcohol consumption and also with the stop smoking.
"You can go on the One You Lincolnshire website and use the sign up form, or you can call our office directly."
It's after joint research from leading health charities and the Government, who've teamed up to urge more people to quit, found there were 400,000 hospital admissions in England due to smoking between 2022 and 2023.
Figures show there's over 5 million smokers across the nation, and that cigarettes are responsible for 64,000 deaths per year in England alone.
A new stop-smoking initiative's being launched today, on the 40th anniversary of No Smoking Day, in line with government plans to bring about the first smoke free generation and introduce legislation so children turning fifteen this year or younger can never legally be sold tobacco.
Smoking rates have reduced by two-thirds since the first year of No Smoking Day, but smoking is still the single largest preventable cause of death in England.
A big price to pay
Department of Health & Social Care figures show the average smoker spends around £47 a week on tobacco, which is around £2,450 a year.
But the cost to society surpasses £17 billion per year, which includes a £14 billion cost to productivity and £3 billion cost to the NHS and social care.
Public Health Minister Andrea Leadsom said:
“Smoking is the biggest preventable killer in the UK and places a huge burden on our NHS. Cigarettes are responsible for 64,000 deaths a year in England - no other consumer product kills up to two-thirds of its users.
“That’s why No Smoking Day is still so important 40 years on from its launch. We are taking action to prevent our children from ever lighting a cigarette, and our proposed historic Tobacco and Vapes Bill will safeguard the next generation from the harms of smoking and risk of addiction.”
Chief Medical Officer for England Professor Chris Whitty said:
“Cigarettes kill. They cause at least 15 different types of cancers and increase your risk of developing more than 50 serious health conditions.
“Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health - no matter your age or how long you have smoked.”