‘Why Go Smoke Free’?

Going smoke free may not be easy, but when you see how stopping smoking will benefit your health and your lifestyle you will want to get started as soon as possible!

Health effects of stopping smoking

By stopping smoking:

• The risk of you having a heart attack is dramatically reduced. 3 years after quitting you have the same chance of a heart attack as a non-smoker
• You will enjoy a longer healthier life, chances are that you will live 16 years longer than you would have as a smoker
• Your sense of taste and smell will improve
• Breathing will be easier, you will feel fitter and better
• You will look younger for longer, stopping early wrinkles from appearing
• Your chances of having a healthier pregnancy and baby are increased
• You won't cough in the morning

Within minutes of stopping smoking you'll feel the benefits:

• 20 minutes - Blood pressure and pulse return to normal
• 1 hour - Your circulation improves and your hands and feet feel warmer
• 8 hours - Nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in the body fall, oxygen levels in your blood return to normal
• 1 day - Your lungs begin to work better, and carbon monoxide is removed from your body
• 2 days - Your taste and smell improves, and nicotine is removed from your body
• 3 days - Breathing becomes easier and you start to have more energy too
• 2 weeks - Withdrawal symptoms begin to ease. Walking and daily tasks become easier to do
• 1 month - Withdrawal symptoms have stopped, while breathing and energy levels continue to improve
• 1 year - Risk of heart attack halved
• 10 years - Risk of lung cancer halved

 Will I gain weight when I stop smoking?

It is a common misconception that when you stop smoking you will gain weight. Many people who stop smoking do not gain any weight at all.

• Many people who give up smoking do not gain any weight
• Giving up smoking is the best thing you can do for your health
• The risk of gaining a large amount of weight is very low
• There are many benefits to stopping smoking, and you'll start to feel some of them after just 20 minutes of quitting
• People that do gain weight when they stop smoking generally only gain a small amount, usually less than 8 pounds
• Smoking is far worse for your health than a few extra pounds
• The key to weight control is eating a healthy, balanced diet, and staying active

Secondhand Smoke and Smokefree Environments

Secondhand smoke harms everyone – Non – smokers, Ex- Smokers and Smokers alike. It is composed of over 4,000 chemicals and you never know where it is because 85% of it is invisible, odourless and comes from the burning tip of the cigarette.
It increases the risk of lung cancer up to 24% and the risk of heart disease by 25%. It can trigger asthma attacks and also increase your chances of developing breathing and other problems.

Children are particularly affected by secondhand smoke because their bodies are still developing, and around half of all British children are growing up in homes where at least one parent is a smoker.

• Cot death is twice as likely to occur in babies whose mothers smoke
• Smoking near children is a cause of serious respiratory illnesses which may require hospitalisation such as bronchitis and pneumonia
• Exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of children developing asthma and causes asthma attacks.
• There is also an increased risk of meningitis for children who are exposed to secondhand smoke
• Babies and children exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to get coughs and colds, as well as middle ear infections, which can cause deafness

Even if you open a window, secondhand smoke will still be present in a room after two and a half hours! Although you may not be able to see or smell any smoke, it can still be present. Smoking in a car is even worse because all of the smoke is concentrated into a small space.

One of the best things you can do to protect other people and children is to keep your home and car smokefree by smoking outside.

When you go smokefree you will be protecting the health of your family and friends.

Advice for non – smokers

You have a right to protect your health and the health of your family. It is perfectly reasonable to ask people to stop smoking around you and to ask visitors to your home to smoke outside.
If you know someone who wants to quit, why not tell them about the different ways they can go smokefree and encourage them to call us for more advice?

Smokefree Public Places

Virtually all enclosed public places and workplaces in England are now smokefree. It is against the law to smoke in the indoor parts of public places like pubs, bars, nightclubs, cafés and restaurants, lunch rooms, membership clubs and shopping centres.
Indoor smoking rooms are no longer allowed in the workplace. Public transport and work vehicles used by more than one person are also smokefree.
To read more about the smokefree legislation visit www.smokefreeengland.co.uk.