Each year on the second Wednesday in March, No Smoking Day puts the negative health effects of lighting up directly under the microscope and asks those who still practice the cancer-causing habit to give up for good.
According to the Office for National Statistics, approximately 13 per cent of the national population smokes, which is equivalent to around 6.6 million people.
Locally, the prevalence of active smokers is less than the national level, but still remains high.
How many smokers in our region?
- 12.5 per cent of the adult population in Swindon
- 11.7 per cent of the adult population in Wiltshire
- 9.7 per cent of the adult population in Bath and North East Somerset
This means there are more than 100,000 smokers living across the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire NHS region.
Dr Caroline Annesley, Wiltshire GP and BSW Clinical Lead for Cancer, said: “Smoking is extremely harmful to our health.
“It is the biggest preventable cause of cancer in the UK, and can lead to the disease developing in parts of the body other than just the lungs and throat.
“Cigarettes also cause damage to the heart and blood vessels, and greatly increase the chances of dementia.
“Stopping smoking is one of the best things people can do for their health and, as we approach No Smoking Day, I hope many will take this opportunity to quit.”
The National Lung Cancer Audit shows that in 2018, which remains the most-update reporting period, 200 patients at the Great Western Hospital were told they had lung cancer.
At a time when the NHS has never been busier, people can help ease the pressure by prioritising their health, with quitting smoking one of the quickest ways to improve overall wellbeing.
Help and advice on how to stop smoking is available online via the NHS website.
