Stoptober is well underway, and UHMBT is encouraging smokers in North Lancashire and South Cumbria to join the millions of people around the country who quit every year! In England, around 1 in 30 hospital admissions are linked to smoking. That’s about 400,000 people coming into hospital each year because of their smoking.
Over 5 million adults in England still smoke, and smoking is the single biggest cause of preventable illness and death in England. A shocking fact is that, on average, someone who smokes loses approximately 20 minutes of their life for every cigarette they smoke. Helping smokers to quit smoking is therefore more important than ever.
Brigit Chesworth, Senior Public Health Registrar at UHMBT, said:
“At UHMBT, we want to help our patients and those in the communities we serve to lead healthy, happy lives. Up to two-thirds of deaths in current smokers are thought to be caused by smoking, and many more smokers live with disabling, smoking-related illnesses.
“Quitting smoking is the best thing that you can do for your health, with health benefits nearly straightaway. After just 8 hours, harmful carbon monoxide levels in your blood will have reduced by half, and after 48 hours you will be able to smell and taste better.
“After just one year, your risk of a heart attack will be half compared to a smoker’s and after 10 years your risk of dying from lung cancer will be half that of a smoker. Quitting smoking also gives your mental health a boost – just six weeks after quitting, people start feeling happier as well as healthier.
“Not only does stopping smoking make a difference to your health, it can also help financially. For someone who smokes 20 cigarettes a day, stopping smoking can save them over £3,300 each year.
“For pregnant women, stopping smoking is one of the best things you can do to protect your baby from harm and to give them the best start in life. The sooner you stop, the better, but it is never too late – even if you stop towards the end of your pregnancy, this will still benefit you and your baby.”
There is a wide range of free quitting tools available, including the NHS Quit Smoking app, the Personal Quit Plan, expert support from local stop smoking services and a Smokefree Facebook support group. There's also lots of information about aids such as nicotine-free medicines, nicotine replacement therapies and vaping, available at www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking. Pregnant women can also talk to their midwife about support to stop smoking.
Brigit adds:
“There are lots of different options to choose from when it comes to stopping smoking – the most important thing is to find the option that works best for you. If you’re coming to our hospital sites, remember that our NHS is smokefree so you’ll need a plan to take a temporary break whilst you are with us as well. Our staff are here to help if you need it.”