HIGH rates of smoking in parts of Warwickshire have prompted the County Council to remind residents not to give up on giving up on Non Smoking Day (Wednesday March 9).
While rates of smoking across the county are just under the national average at 13.3 per cent, they are higher in the north of the county, including in Rugby where the rate is 14.3 per cent.
And 9.4 per cent of pregnant women smoke across the Coventry and Warwickshire region, bringing a greater risk of developing complications during pregnancy, birth and beyond.
Warwickshire County Council (WCC) is using Non Smoking Day to point residents to the support available.
Smokers can access support across Warwickshire via the quit4good website (https://quit4good.warwickshire.gov.uk), which details where and how to access stop smoking services. Digital support is also available through the NHS stop smoking app (https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking), providing daily support and tracking to monitor progress.
Those who are pregnant and thinking about quitting can get support online or from a midwife. Quit4Baby Warwickshire (https://quit4good.warwickshire.gov.uk/quit4baby) is a service which can help people to quit during pregnancy.
Coun Margaret Bell, WCC’s spokeswoman for health and adult social care, said: “We understand that quitting smoking can be hard – tobacco is an addictive substance – but support is available for you whether you prefer face-to-face support through the stop smoking service or digital support via your phone or device.
“Once you quit, your body not only begins to feel the benefits immediately, but you are also helping those around you who are no longer breathing in second-hand smoke.”
The council’s spokesman for fire and rescue and community safety Coun Andy Crump added: “Cigarettes and smoking paraphernalia such as lighters can cause deadly house fires.
“Please dispose of cigarettes in a safe manner and never throw hot cigarettes into a bin. Make sure to use a proper ashtray on a surface that is unlikely to be knocked and soak the butts in water before disposing. A working smoke alarm on every floor of a property can provide vital escape time in the circumstances of a house fire.
“The safest way to reduce the fire risk to your family and home is to stop smoking.”
Visit https://quit4good.warwickshire.gov.uk for more information about stop smoking services in Warwickshire. Visit https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking for digital stop smoking support from the NHS.
