Stop Smoking
| Published: 29th April 2007 14:09 |
Stop Smoking
This section provides information on stop smoking services in Teignbridge. Teignbridge PCT has stepped up its efforts to help people give up smoking. Last year more than 1500 smokers in the area have been given help and support, by trained smoking advisers, in their attempt to give up; 800 of these became ex-smokers - well done!
Smoking is still at the top of the agenda when it comes to healthier lifestyles. Nationally, over 120,000 people die prematurely every year as a direct result of smoking.
The PCT aims to develop an effective smoking cessation service - making more and more people aware of the dangers, helping them plan their attempt to stop smoking. In line with national smoking cessation guidelines everybody is asked whether they are smokers or not. If they smoke they are advised about the benefits of stopping. If they are motivated and wish to stop and have a quit attempt, trained advisers assist the smoker in stopping by helping set a quit date, planning strategies and discussing the advantages of using NRT or Bupropion. Follow-up appointments are arranged to help and support the attempt.
The core of the service is to be found at every doctor's surgery, where there are trained advisers to support those people who seek help. Continual support and encouragement should be given, ideally every two weeks, over a period of eight to 12 weeks. This is the method which has shown to be very successful.
Every effort is being made to provide help for the smokers within the community setting. Sure Start and the Healthy Living Centre at Teignmouth have advisers working within the community, this being an initiative that is to be developed further. Additional initiatives are also being established within the area.
Nationally 450 young people take up smoking everyday. Smoking education and stop smoking support has been developed throughout the area to highlight the importance to young people of the health risks to which they are exposed by smoking. It is never too late to benefit from stopping smoking!
The risks and problems associated with smoking are:
Smoking makes it harder to exercise and reduces the benefits to your body. Smokers have more coughs and colds than non-smokers and take longer to feel well again. The skin is starved of oxygen by smoking and becomes dry and grey, wrinkles around the eyes and mouth develop much earlier and tar stains your teeth and fingers. Men who smoke may suffer impotence due to damage to the blood vessels in the penis. Sperm quality and density can also be affected by smoking. Smokers may produce less sperm and their sperm may have more abnormalities. Women who smoke take longer to conceive and are more likely to have a miscarriage. Babies born to mothers who smoked in pregnancy are more likely to be premature, stillborn or die shortly after birth. A baby exposed to tobacco smoke has a higher risk of dying from cot death. Children whose parents smoke are more likely to get pneumonia and bronchitis in their first year of life, to suffer from more frequent and more severe asthma attacks and to become regular smokers themselves. Financially as much as £1500 is spent a year if you smoke 20 cigarettes a day.
The Benefits of quitting smoking 20 min
Blood pressure and pulse return to normal
8 hrs
Nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in blood reduce by half. Oxygen levels return to normal
24 hrs
Carbon monoxide will be eliminated from the body. Lungs start to clear out mucous and other smoking debris.
48 hrs
There is no nicotine left in the body. Ability to taste and smell is greatly improved
72 hrs
Breathing becomes easier. Bronchial tubes begin to relax and energy levels increase.
2-12 weeks
Circulation improves
3 - 9 months
Coughs, wheezing and breathing problems improve as lung functions are increased by up to 10%
5 yrs.
Risk of heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker
10 yrs.
Risk of lung cancer falls to about half that of a smoker and the risk of heart attack falls to the same as someone who has never smoked
Quitting smoking increases the chances of living a longer and healthier life. After about 15 years, an ex-smoker's relative risk of getting lung cancer is only slightly greater than that of someone who has never smoked. Similarly, their relative risk of a heart attack is reduced almost to the same risk level of someone who has never smoked
Other benefits
Improved breathing
Improved ability to cope with sudden exertion
Loss of smoker's cough and reduction in phlegm
Sense of taste and smell improves
Hair, skin and breath no longer smells of tobacco smoke
The natural decline in lung efficiency slows down to a rate similar to non-smokers
Benefits of a smoke free environment
Smoke free environments eliminate passive smoking and the effects which initially include eye irritation, headache, cough, sore throat, dizziness and nausea.
In the longer term, passive smokers can suffer from a 25 per cent increased risk of heart disease, lung cancer and ischaemic heart disease in adult non-smokers, and respiratory disease, cot death, middle ear disease and asthmatic attacks in children, these are just a few. For a full list of all risks for passive smoking visit http://www.ash.org.uk/html/factsheets/html/fact08.html
There are also health and safety issues with the main being a reduced risk of fire.
Other initiatives which are developing are:-
Group smoking cessation work being carried on at Channings Wood Prison, producing excellent results.
Specialist support to help smokers and young people stop smoking.
An ongoing programme of health awareness initiatives within the community.
Support at young peoples' at drop-in's.
Further drives to help all the smokers who have shown a desire to stop smoking.
Support for quitting from pharmacists.
It is never too late to benefit from stopping smoking!
If you are thinking about giving up smoking in 2006? Contact your doctors surgery and ask for an appointment with a smoking adviser. Alternatively, you can attend one of the stop smoking groups in community settings for support.
NEWTON ABBOT:
The Courtenay Centre (Room 2), Kingsteignton Road, Newton Abbot. Wednesday Evenings: Drop in Sessions 17:15 - 19:45 (drop in anytime for an informal chat and advice)
The Junction behind Dyrons Newton Abbot. Friday Afternoons: Drop in Sessions 15:00 - 16:00 (drop in anytime young people)
TEIGNMOUTH:
Teignmouth Hospital (The Day Room) Drop in Sessions: 17:00 - 19:00 (drop in anytime for an informal chat and advice)
For more information and an information pack contact:
STOP SMOKING SERVICE: 01626 357039
Or contact the national NHS
SMOKING HELPLINE on 0800 169 0 169 or visit their website Giving Up Smoking
Alternatively, if anyone is interested in helping people to give up smoking and would consider being trained to be an adviser, please contact the service for a chat and for more details on 01626 357039.
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