10 March 2008
ASH Scotland’s Chief Executive Sheila Duffy has welcomed the 25th No Smoking Day which will be held this Wednesday 12 March. Saying she fully supported the event, as smoking cessation is an important way of reducing the damage done by tobacco, Ms Duffy also said it was important that people had access to support and advice all year round. Commenting on this, the UK’s biggest annual public health event, she said:
“No Smoking Day is a really great opportunity for smokers to quit or to find out about local services that can support them to quit. 13,500 people die every year of smoking related diseases in Scotland and thousands of others are affected by ill-health due to tobacco, so anything that will help people to quit should be supported. This year’s theme is the ‘Great No Smoking Day Challenge’, encouraging people to sign up for a week-long quit challenge and get sponsorship from friends and family. So as well as benefiting your health and the health of those around you by quitting smoking, you will also be raising funds for your favourite charity or good cause.
“ASH Scotland would like to see smoking cessation services more available and accessible throughout Scotland, especially in disadvantaged communities where smoking rates are highest. When it comes to smoking, the health inequalities gap in our country remains wide. Smoking rates in deprived areas are around 40% - more than double the rate in more affluent areas.
“70% of smokers say they want to quit, so cessation services are vital and must remain a public health priority. That is why ASH Scotland is committed to extending the smoking cessation training we offer in conjunction with Glasgow Caledonian University to a wider variety of people such as youth workers, so they are equipped to offer effective stop-smoking advice to those who want it.
“For smokers who succeed in quitting, there are both immediate and long-term health benefits. Cessation support is also very cost effective. The NHS in Scotland spends more than £200 million on treating tobacco related disease every year but figures indicate that smoking cessation services are saving lives at a cost of around £800 per life-year.
“It is therefore disappointing that funding for our cessation services will see a real terms decrease over the next three years. The Public Health Minister announced in December that funding would remain at the same level as the current financial year at £11 million, which includes £2 million allocated to Keep Well projects and £2 million contained within NHS boards’ general funding allocations. This is a real terms decline in funding for NHS services year on year. By 2010/11, that £11 million will be worth the equivalent of £10,365,546 – a decrease of 5.8%.
“Tobacco is highly addictive and it is vital that we invest in giving all possible support to smokers trying to give up, to ensure the long term health benefit of our nation, improve mortality, and reduce the financial burden on the NHS. Behind the statistics of the thousands of early deaths due to tobacco, there is an immeasurable toll of smoking related diseases and disability, and the impacts on the families and friends of those affected. By investing in cessation now, we can save lives in the future”.
Sheila Duffy is available for pre-recorded and live interviews.
For further information please contact Jeanette Campbell 0131 220 9466
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