North East smokers urged to quit for New Year
North East smokers are being encouraged to quit for New Year.
Fresh and Public Health England (PHE) are today launching a campaign to highlight the damaging effect smoking has on the heart, as it is revealed that 45 people a day die of cardiovascular disease (CVD) caused by smoking - over 16,500 a year in England1. Smoking prevalence in the North East is currently at 18.7%
The latest hard hitting campaign from PHE coincides with the first year when all cigarettes sold in the UK will be in standard packs with all attractive branding removed. The packs, which will be mandatory from May, feature graphic picture and text health warnings, several of which illustrate how smoking causes cardiovascular disease and death.
Public Health England insights show that the two biggest motivators for smokers to quit are for their health and their families. They’ve released a new emotive short film featuring children’s TV doctor Dr Ranj working with primary school children, to create their own heartfelt messages about the dangers of smoking. The messages, inspired by the introduction of standard packs, focus on the damage smoking does to the heart and circulatory system.
Ailsa Rutter, Director of Fresh, said:
“If you smoke, quitting not only means an instant pay rise but also reduces your chances of a serious disease within days of stopping. Children worry about their parents and grandparents smoking and quitting is likely to make your family very proud.
“This year there is another reason to quit at New Year, as more and more packs of cigarettes will be in plain standardized packaging with larger health warnings. Every cigarette is a stark reminder of the damage smoking causes.”
Dr John Bourke, Consultant Cardiologist at Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust and Cardiac Lead for the Northern England Cardiovascular Network, said:
“Cigarette smoking is the single most important and avoidable risk factor for death at a young age in both men and women in the UK.
“Smoking speed up the ageing process in blood vessels throughout the body - causing heart attacks, leg amputations and strokes. In short, cigarette smoking accelerates the ageing process making your body older at every age than you actually should be.”
Marlene Westwick, 62, from Prudhoe, Northumberland, has angina and COPD. She finally found the strength to stop smoking earlier this year after her granddaughter pleaded with her to quit. Marlene said:
“If I had one message for anyone thinking about stopping smoking I’d say just give it a go. It’s your life you’re losing by smoking. Think of your children, grandchildren, partner and loved ones and how it’ll affect them when you’re gone. Even if you don’t succeed at first, they say that God loves a trier. Give it a go, see how you feel, and you might surprise yourself.”
The campaign launches with TV and digital advertising showing NHS Smokefree ‘Rotten Roll-up’ and ‘Mutations’ adverts, which highlight the serious damage that cigarettes can cause. The campaign encourages smokers to search ‘Smokefree’ online for free quitting support and tools.