552 smokers quit with help of NHS

Reporter: Lobby Correspondent
Date online: 02/02/2010

PLANS to halve the number of smokers have been unveiled as figures show more than 500 people across Oldham stubbed out their final cigarettes last year.

Health Secretary Andy Burnham announced the new ambitious target to reduce the number of smokers from 21 per cent to 10 per cent by 2020.

The target would mean around four million of England’s estimated eight million smokers quitting.

Latest figures show in six months last year 1,743 Oldham residents set a date to quit smoking, and 552 succeeded.

A further 484 smokers failed to kick the habit and 707 did not have any form of follow up so their result is unknown.

The latest available data from NHS Information Centre data for April to September show while more women across Oldham pledged to quit than men, men were more successful in staying smoke free with 33 per cent succeeding compared with 30 per cent for women.

A breakdown reveals the success rate across the borough was highest among the over 60s, with 41 per cent of those setting a date to quit succeeding.

The under 34s had a success rate of only 22 per cent, compared with 37.1 per cent for 35-44 year olds and 34.9 per cent for 45 to 59 year olds.

In the six-month period, 99 pregnant women set a date to quit and 21 succeeded.

The figures are only for people who have sought help from the NHS, meaning the figure could be much higher with people deciding to quit smoking with no support.

Measures being considered as part of Mr Burnham’s plans include banning cigarette vending machines, as will happen in Scotland next year, and NHS support for every smoker who wants to give up.

Smoking costs the NHS £2.7 billion a year and more than 80,000 deaths each year are attributed to smoking. deaths attributed to smoking a year.




People can contact the stop smoking service on 0800-328 8534.