More than 10,000 people have given up smoking in Brighton and Hove over the past four years, the council said today (Friday 5 January).
And with smoking blamed for hundreds of deaths a year locally and even more hospital admissions, people who still smoke are being encouraged to quit.
Brighton and Hove City Council said: “Made a new year resolution to give up smoking? There’s lots of support available to help you succeed.
“Over 10,000 smokers have quit smoking in the last four years in Brighton and Hove.
“More than half of those have stopped by using local e-cigarette friendly stop smoking services.
“Trained advisers can offer free one-to-one support to help you quit, including confidential stop smoking support to under 16s and support for people who are housebound.
“By getting support from your local stop smoking service, you are four times more likely to stop smoking than going it alone.”
Brighton and Hove’s director of public health Alistair Hill said: “Every week in Brighton and Hove, seven people die as a result of smoking-related illnesses and 33 are admitted to hospital.
“Stopping smoking is the best thing you can do for your health and the health of those around you.
“The new year is the perfect time to quit.”
To find out more about the support available, visit www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/stop-smoking or the NHS Smokefree website at www.nhs.uk/smokefree.
To contact the council’s health trainer service, call 01273 296877.
