New stats reveal impact of smoking across Greater Manchester

A survey's found more than half of people in the region have lost a friend or family member to a smoking-related illness

Author: Sophie MerrickPublished 14th Feb 2024
Last updated 15th Feb 2024

A survey's found that 53% of people in Greater Manchester have lost a friend or family member to a smoking-related illness.

It comes after the Government outlined plans to create a 'smoke-free generation' and as NHS Greater Manchester launches its ‘What Will You Miss’ campaign, highlighting that up to two in three smokers will die early if they don’t take the steps to quit.

The survey, carried out by Opinium Research, also found that:

• Two thirds of people (65%) believe smoking means you miss out on key life events – with over half of those who smoke (56%) saying they are worried they will miss out on future life events as a result, and 42% feeling like they already miss too much.

• Over 6 in 10 (61%) say they or someone they know has missed out on something as a result of smoking. Most notably not being able to exercise as much as they would like (32%), missing out on stories, jokes or the flow of conversation (27%) and not being able to take part in the past times they enjoy (19%).

Mum of five, Debbie Lindsay from Chadderton had to give up her teaching career due to ill health caused by smoking when she was 58. She said: “I’m not surprised people feel like they’re missing out. I loved my job, but I wasn’t able to give my class the continuity they needed due to my COPD. I’ve lost so many friends and family to smoking, people who should still be here enjoying their lives and seeing their children grow up. A smokefree future can’t come soon enough for me.”

Rebecca Fletcher, Director of Public Health for Oldham who lost her mum to lung cancer, said: “My mum died when she was just 63 – she still had so much living to do. She’d had a cough for a while that she’d ignored and when she finally got help, she was diagnosed with lung cancer due to smoking and died two months later. I didn’t expect to lose my mum when I was in my thirties – there are so many birthdays and family occasions that she’s missed. If we end smoking, we can end the biggest cause of lung cancer and save thousands of families from the heartache that I’ve been through.”

Jane Pilkington, Director of Population Health at NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care, said: “In Greater Manchester, too many communities are suffering from the harms of tobacco. Smoking is a lethal addiction which often starts in childhood and ends up killing two in three long term smokers. This is why we are committed to making smoking history, as we want to see a healthier, smokefree future for everyone.

“It is vital that we work together to end health inequalities across our city-region and protect our communities from the impact of smoking. No-one should have to miss out on treasured memories with their loved ones or have their life expectancy cut short because their choices were taken away from them by tobacco.”

You can get free, personalised support to stop smoking in Greater Manchester by visiting www.MakeSmokingHistory.co.uk or calling the NHS Stop Smoking Helpline on 0300 123 1044.

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