Tower Hamlets Council and the NHS are encouraging residents to access local services to quit tobacco this No Smoking Day on Wednesday, March 12.
\nStop smoking advisors will be promoting the campaign, providing free and friendly advice, information and support on local stop smoking services.
\nNo Smoking Day is one of the UK’s biggest health awareness campaigns, run by the British Heart Foundation. The annual campaign helps smokers who want to quit by creating a supportive environment and highlighting the many sources of help and advice available.
\nMayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman said: \u201cSupporting residents to quit tobacco is a major priority of the council to help reduce health inequalities and improve the wellbeing of local people.\u201d
\nAlthough smoking has decreased in Tower Hamlets, the borough continues to have amongst the highest levels of smoking and smokeless tobacco use in London with over 45,000 adults (24.5 per cent) compared to 21 per cent in London.
\nCllr Abdul Asad, cabinet member for health and wellbeing said: \u201cTower Hamlets has a variety of services to suit everyone\u2019s needs. Over the past year, local stop smoking services have helped over 1,400 people quit tobacco, so why not see how they can help you.\u201d
\nDr Sam Everington, a local GP and chair of NHS Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: \u201cBy stopping smoking you reduce the chances of you \u2013 and the people around you who inhale your cigarette smoke \u2013 getting lung cancer, heart disease, stroke and other related illnesses.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re keen to help people in Tower Hamlets to understand the dangers of smoking and to give people who want to quit the tools and support to do so. Giving up is hard, but it can be done. The important thing is to get started.\u201d
\nStop by one of these locations on Wednesday March 12 for more information and advice:
\nRoyal London Hospital main entrance, Whitechapel Road, E1 1BB
\n9am \u2013 4pm
\nChrisp Street Market, Poplar, E14 6AQ
\n10am \u2013 2pm
\nThere are also ongoing, regular stop smoking drop-in sessions on a weekly basis. For more information on their locations and times visit: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk\/gethealthy.
\nFor more information on No Smoking Day visit: www.nosmokingday.org.uk\/<\/p>\n