Cookstown Smokers urged to ‘swap fags for swag’

SMOKERS in the Hearty Lives Cookstown Area are being encouraged to ‘swap fags for swag’ and consider the financial benefits of quitting, this month on the 30th anniversary of No Smoking Day.
By The Newsroom
Published 11th Mar 2013, 15:07 BST

Nearly one in four Northern Ireland adults smoke but local figures show nearly three quarters (74%) want to quit. (1)

This year smokers are being encouraged to focus on what they could afford to buy if they were to quit. An average local smoker, based on 30 a day, can save £11 a day, £78 a week, £336 a month and £4,090 a year if they quit.(2)

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Cookstown Council’s Environmental Health and Leisure Services staff will be providing an information stand in Cookstown Leisure Centre to help smokers ditch the cigarettes for good on Wednesday 13 March – No Smoking Day.

Therese Kelly Health Inequalities Officer for Cookstown District said: “One of the biggest incentives for smokers to quit comes from considering the real amount of money they spend on cigarettes and thinking about what they themselves and their family could afford if they were to give up for good.

By tallying up the exact amount of money that could be saved, smokers can work towards an actual goal – be it a new pair of shoes, a family trip to the cinema or a dream holiday.”

No Smoking Day provides the perfect opportunity for people to join others in the Cookstown area attempting to quit on the same day. This is why Cookstown Councils efforts in spreading the word about the support available are so important, to help many make their first steps towards a healthier and wealthier, smoke free life.

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Cookstown Council’s Leisure Services and Environmental Health Department have been able to provide this advice for No Smoking Day in partnership with Northern Health and Social Care Trust, Northern Group Systems and the Public Health Agency.

The annual UK wide health campaign, run by the British Heart Foundation, is now in its 30th year and helped more than 760,000 people quit smoking last year and inspired another 1.5 million to seek out information to help them quit in future.

For more information on the benefits of quitting as well as top quit tips, visit www.WeQuit.co.uk or call our free helpline on 0808 812 8008.

Related topics:Northern IrelandNorthern Health and Social Care Trust