Smoking: the shocking toll

A STAGGERING 1.4 million people aged 35 or over were admitted to a UK hospital in just 12 months for a smoking-related disease, according to latest figures.

And a shocking 5,265 of those were from Oldham.

The alarming report, from the NHS Information Centre, reveals the number of over-35s admitted to hospital for a smoking related disease rose by one-fifth in the decade from 1997/98 to 2007/08.

It says there has been a steady increase over the 10 years, and around 440,900 admissions from the latest 1.4 million figure were directly down to smoking.

The report reveals a startling one in 20 of all people aged 35 and over who are admitted to hospital are there for treatment because they smoke.

Of those, the main diagnosis for one-quarter is respiratory disease, circulatory disease for 16 per cent, and cancer for 12 per cent — all of which are attributable to smoking.

It also shows that in 2008, almost one in five deaths (83,900) among people 35 and over in England were estimated to be caused by smoking.

A total of one in four men in the age group are estimated to have died as a result of smoking, and 14 per cent of women.

Respiratory disease was the biggest killer, followed by cancer then circulatory disease.

Alan Higgins, Oldham’s Director of Public Health, said: “Oldham has a higher than average number of smokers, so NHS Oldham is constantly working hard to support local people to stop smoking.

“The stop smoking service employs trained advisers, who offer advice and support, and is always looking for new and innovative ways to help people.”

He said it had helped 1,653 successfully quit smoking during 2008, adding: “There is a strong emphasis on an individualised service and what the smoker thinks will be most effective for them.

“It’s never too late to give up no matter how many times people have tried in the past,” said Mr Higgins.”