Agency steps up drive to highlight dangers of smoking

The drive to encourage smokers to beat their habit gathered momentum today as the Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland launched the latest phase of the ‘Every cigarette is doing you damage’ campaign.

Ninety per cent of all lung cancers here are related to smoking and this new campaign shows in graphic detail how breathing in tobacco smoke can cause lung cancer to develop.

Speaking at the launch, Dr Brian Gaffney, Chief Executive of the Health Promotion Agency said:
“This latest phase of the ‘Every cigarette is doing you damage’ campaign explains how smoking enables lung cancer to start developing. We hope it will make smokers think seriously about the consequences of smoking and that it will motivate them to stop.

This latest campaign includes a television advertisement which shows graphically how smoking attacks a vital gene which protects lung cells from cancer and explains that one damaged cell is all it takes to start lung cancer growing. Nine out of every ten lung cancer cases here are directly attributed to smoking and it is important that smokers are made aware of this fact.”

Earlier phases of this campaign, which highlighted the link between smoking and stroke and smoking and heart disease, have been very effective. Evaluations of these phases have indicated an increase in the number of smokers attempting to quit. Thousands of smokers have also sought help to stop smoking by calling the Smokers’ Helpline.

Dr Ruth Eakin, Consultant Oncologist at Belfast City Hospital, added her support to the campaign, saying:
“The link between smoking and lung cancer is absolute. This new phase of the ‘Every cigarette is doing you damage’ campaign is a very important step towards making smokers aware of the strong association between smoking and lung cancer.

“Despite advances in the treatment of cancer the recovery rate for these people is nowhere near as good as it is for the other common cancers such as breast and bowel cancer. The biggest advance by a long way would be to get rid of cigarettes. Even then, there would still be many people developing lung cancer for the next 20 years, but at least it would eventually become a disease of the past. The unfortunate reality is that for every five people, who have to be told that they have lung cancer, four of them will be dead within one year of diagnosis.

“I work with many lung cancer patients and have to see first hand the devastating consequences. It is not only the person themselves, but so often the pain of their immediate family and friends who are with them, which is so difficult. I could not emphasise enough my support for this campaign, and would strongly urge smokers to stop smoking, before it is too late.”

Dr Gaffney added:
“Three thousand people here die from illnesses related to smoking every year. Inpatient care linked to smoking in Northern Ireland costs at least £22 million every year and one million working days are lost every year as a result of smoking. We urge health and education professionals to keep working together to encourage and help people to stop smoking. This campaign and other campaigns throughout Northern Ireland are making a difference, but the human and social costs of smoking to Northern Ireland are still too high.”

The Smokers’ Helpline, on 0800 858585, offers help and advice on stopping smoking and will be highlighted during the new phase of the ‘Every cigarette is doing you damage’ campaign.

END

Notes to editors:

1. The campaign launch will take place on Wednesday, 11 June 2003 at 10.30am at the Health Promotion Agency, 18 Ormeau Avenue, Belfast. Media are invited to attend. At the launch Dr Brian Gaffney, Chief Executive of the Health Promotion Agency and Dr Ruth Eakin, Consultant Oncologist at Belfast City Hospital will be available for interview.
   
2. There are a number of smoking cessation services available for people in Northern Ireland. These can be accessed through Health and Social Services Boards and Trusts and the Ulster Cancer Foundation. The Smokers’ Helpline on 0800 858585 will be able to direct people to support services. Support and advice for smokers can also be obtained through GPs and pharmacists.

For further information:

Contact Sinead Curran or Margaret McCrory at the Health Promotion Agency on 028 9031 1611.