Sefton Council is supporting a powerful new Public Health campaign which highlights how smoking damages the body and causes a slow and steady decline almost like rotting.
There are around 41,000 smokers in Sefton, and the campaign spotlights the hidden harms cigarettes cause – showing how smoking damages bones, muscles, the brain, teeth and eyes as well as causing cancers, heart and lung disease.
The initiative also tackles common misconceptions around hand-rolled tobacco or roll ups as their use has significantly increased in the last twenty years. New figures show that half of smokers who only smoke roll-ups wrongly believe they are less harmful than manufactured cigarettes. In fact hand rolled cigarettes are at least as hazardous as any other type of cigarette.
Cllr Paul Cummins, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Older People and Health, said: “Many smokers know the damage cigarettes do to their hearts and lungs. Sefton is supporting this campaign as it highlights how harmful smoking is to the body- essentially ‘rotting’ it from the inside out and roll ups are no exception.
“January is a time when many people make New Year’s resolutions to improve their health and try to stop smoking. In Sefton thousands have used SUPPORT, the local stop smoking service, to quit and we are hoping this year, even more will take advantage of the free help and advice they offer.”
Sefton Council is encouraging residents to use the New Year to make a resolution and stop smoking which will benefit their health and wealth in 2015.
Dr Janet Atherton, Sefton Council’s Director of Public Health, said: “If you smoke the New Year is a great opportunity to make a change and quit for good. Quitting this January will immediately result in health improvements including a better sense of smell, taste and more energy.
“Longer term ex-smokers reduce their risk of stroke, heart disease and lung cancer, as well as protecting others from second-hand smoke.”
For more information call Healthy Sefton on 0300 100 1000, alternatively you can get regular stop smoking and service updates by following SUPPORT on Twitter @SeftonSUPPORT or find them onFacebook. Stoptober information can be found by visiting www.stoptober.smokefree.nhs.uk
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