Thousands stub out cigarettes (From This is Hampshire)

Thousands stub out cigarettes

7:43am Saturday 30th August 2008 in

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MORE than 9,000 people in the south "quit" smoking with the help of the NHS last year, figures have revealed.

According to the Department of Health, 17,718 people across south Hampshire and the Isle of Wight set a date to quit smoking in the 12 months to March this year. Of these, 9,349 (52 per cent) managed to kick the deadly habit for at least a month.

The region's success rate was equal to the average rate for England, where a total of 350,800 people quit after seeking the support of their local NHS stop smoking services.

The largest number of quitters in the south - 6,202 - was in the Hampshire PCT area, followed by Southampton (1,962) and the Isle of Wight (1,185). Southampton had the best success rate, with 54 per cent.

The county's stop smoking services, provided by primary care trusts, targeted their support through dozens of clinics in GP practices, health centres, community centres and workplaces.

Smokers were backed by trained specialists and advisers who met them at regular intervals over a period of weeks to give advice, support and encouragement. They also discussed appropriate treatments to cope with withdrawal and recommended medications - including nicotine patches and gum.

Health Minister Ann Keen said: "I am really pleased that there has been such an increase in successful quitters and I'd like to take this opportunity to say congratulations to all those who have made such positive efforts to kick the habit - very well done.

"This shows that the investments we are making in helping smokers quit are having a positive impact and more and more smokers are clearly accessing the highly effective support provided by the NHS."

In a recent survey published by the Office for National Statistics, three quarters (74 per cent) of smokers said they wanted to stop. Of these, one in five (20 per cent) cited family pressure as a motivation and one in six (15 per cent) wanted to stop because of concerns about harming children.

Over half (55 per cent) of smokers reported that they had been encouraged by someone they knew to go smokefree in the past year.

The Government has said it wants to reduce the proportion of smokers to 22 per cent nationally by 2010, down from 33 per cent in 1998.

For advice on quitting smoking call the NHS Smoking Helpline on 0800 169 0 169.