Hackney smokers encouraged to give up for New Year
Smoking related illnesses remain one of the biggest killers in Hackney, and this New Year support is offered to those that want to quit.
Smoking doubles both the risk of having a heart attack, and the risk of having a stroke.
Hackney Council’s most recent statistics show a quarter of over 18’s in Hackney smoke, with an estimated 200 people dying prematurely from a smoking related disease. An estimated 1500 people are also admitted to hospital with smoking attributed issues.
Smoking is also prevalent in young people with 18 percent of 16 to 17 year olds and 28 per cent of 18 to 19 year olds in Hackney smoking.
Smoking related illnesses remain some of the biggest killers in Hackney but it’s never too late for smokers to give up. Help and advice is available at drop in services across the borough. Hackney’s Health and Wellbeing Board has made smoking one of its priorities and we want to make it easier to quit as well making it less likely that young people will start smoking in the first place.
Residents who want help to give up smoking can visit a local pharmacist or GP surgery for information and advice - clinics run daily across Hackney. Pregnant women who would also like support to quit can contact Specialist Midwife Carolyn Bovelle.
Residents can also sign up for a Quit Kit and receive supportive daily emails and text messages and the opportunity to download a Smartphone app.
A new hard hitting Public Health England campaign highlights the harm smoking has on the body. The message to smokers is that if they could see the damage, they would stop. Cigarettes contain over 4,000 chemicals, many of which are irritants and toxins – and over 50 are known to cause cancer. The chemicals include:
- Tar – known to cause both cancer and lung damage
- Ethanol – used in anti-freeze
- Formaldehyde – an embalming fluid
- Carbon monoxide – a poisonous gas found in car fumes
- Hydrogen cyanide – an industrial pollutant
- Arsenic – effectively rat poison causes leukaemia
- Benzene – found in petrol fumes and
- Ammonia – found in cleaning products