3,000 helped to quit smoking in Warwickshire
MORE than 3,000 smokers in Warwickshire kicked the habit with the help of health workers last year, new figures show.
Nearly 6,500 set a target date to quit cigarettes with NHS Warwickshire’s Stop Smoking Service during 2008-09.
And more than half of those – 3,280 in total – were still finished with the fags four weeks later.
Warwick had the most new non-smokers with a 56 per cent quit rate, while Nuneaton, Bedworth and Stratford had the lowest quit rates of 49 per cent each.
Jane Wright, manager of Warwickshire Stop Smoking Service, said: “We are extremely pleased to see that so many smokers have gone smoke free over the past year with our support.
“I hope other people’s success will inspire other smokers to use the best support available through our service and achieve the many benefits of being smoke free.”
Smokers who use an NHS stop smoking service are up to four times more likely to quit than if they go it alone.
The help package available includes:
A 30-minute programme to help you prepare a stop-smoking plan.
Regular 10-minute follow-up appointments over the first few weeks of stopping to review progress.
A supply of nicotine replacement patches, gum or other stop-smoking medicines.
Carbon monoxide testing to motivate quitters.
A specialist Stop Smoking in Pregnancy Service is also available, including optional home visits.
Stop Smoking services are available at pharmacies and doctors’ surgeries.
For details, call 0800 0852917, visit www.smokefreewarwickshire.org or text LIFE to 80800.
