No Ifs and Butts

With more than 3,000 people registered as smokers with Congleton’s three GP practices, there were plenty of people for Congleton Town Council and the Cheshire East One You team to speak to in Congleton Town Centre on National No Smoking Day (13^th March).

The No Smoking Day is a national campaign that is now in its 40^th year. It encourages smokers to take a 24-hour break from cigarettes, highlighting the numerous benefits of quitting smoking, even for a short period.

Quitting smoking can significantly improve a person’s health, including:

• Increased lung function
• Improved circulation
• Boosted immune system
• Enhanced sense of taste and smell

At a stall in Congleton town centre members of the town council’s Health and Wellbeing Working Group, along with the NHS Health Trust and Cheshire East’s One You campaign  helped to spread the word about the support available in Cheshire East for those who want to quit smoking. The team also had some props to show ingredients that are inhaled with cigarette fumes and the amount of tar a smoker is likely to have in their lungs after 20 years.

Councillor Kay Wesley, Chair of the Town Council Community Committee said: "The majority of people that we spoke to had either never smoked, or were ex-smokers who were thankful that they had managed to quit the habit, noticing the benefits for their health, pocket and families. Some smokers, and family members of smokers, took away information and if just one of them takes advantage of the great free local support available and kicks the habit it will have been time well spent.”

For those wishing to quit two good sources of support are:

• NHS Smokefree helpline: Search for ‘Smokefree’ or call NHS 111
• Local stop smoking services via One You Cheshire East at: Be Smoke Free | One You Cheshire East or call their stop smoking helpline on 0808 1643 202.