Notts: Number of smokers in county falls to all time low

Only 18.4 per ecnt of adults in the county of Notts still spark up, and the number keeps falling.

More than 1,300 deaths in the county are caused each year by smoking related illnesses and costs around £60m in terms of healthcare and socialcare.

National guidelines are set for 18.5 per cent of smokers by 2015/16.

However in Mansfield, one in four still can’t kick the habit.

The town has a much higher percentage of people who smoke, coming in at 25.8 per cent.

Coun Joyce Bosnjak, chair of the Notts Health and Wellbeing Board, said there is still more work to be done as Nottingham County Council strives to inspire a tobacco free generation.

Coun Bosnjak said: “It is great news that the numbers of smokers in Notts is continuing to fall, and it rewards the hard work and dedication that a lot of people have put into tackling this vital issue.”

“This isn’t a time to rest on our laurels though, as tobacco still inflicts huge damage to our health as a community. It causes around 1,300 deaths in the county each year, contributes to inequalities in life expectancy between areas, and it costs Notts society an estimated £60m net in terms of things like health and social care,”

We have a vision of a smokefree future, and to achieve that we need to continue a multi-dimensional approach.”

“Every year we help thousands of smokers to kick the habit, but it’s also vitally important that we are preventing the next generation from starting smoking in the first place, and that we are doing what we can to support and influence national policy that limits the influence of tobacco.”

Smokers can get specialist, free help to quit smoking for good through local stop smoking services commissioned by Nottinghamshire County Council, via New Leaf on 0800 389 7712, Bassetlaw Stop Smoking Services on 0800 328 8553, or talk to a GP or pharmacy.