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Are you ready
to 'Cut it Out' on 'No Smoking Day'?
The Health Promotion
Agency for Northern Ireland is using television and radio
advertising to encourage smokers to 'Cut it Out' and give
up smoking for 'No
Smoking Day'.
Rob Phipps, Tobacco
Programme Manager for the Health Promotion Agency, said: "This
advertising campaign aims to make smokers aware of the date
of No Smoking Day in advance so that they can prepare themselves
mentally to give up.
"We know from
research that almost one third of adults in Northern Ireland
are smokers and that each year many try to give up on this
special day. Research also shows that in the past three years
more smokers in Northern Ireland participated in No Smoking
Day compared to anywhere else in the United Kingdom. Many
of the smokers who stop smoking on No Smoking Day stop for
good."
Last year Steve
Martin, a committed smoker, was producing the Health Promotion
Agency's advertisement for 'No Smoking Day' and while working
on this decided to give up. Now one year on Steve is really
feeling the benefits of quitting. Steve said: "When I was
smoking I used to have a horrendous smoker's cough and now
I am glad to say I can breathe more easily. I thought if I
gave up smoking I would put on a lot of weight but thankfully
I didn't.
"I found it easier
to quit than I thought it would be. Of course the first few
days and weeks were very hard but then it became easier. After
being off cigarettes for a month I thought I could do it for
another month. Now
one year on from No Smoking Day I am still off them!
"My family and
friends gave me great support when I was quitting and this
encouraged me to keep at it. Even when I was smoking I thought
it was a disgusting habit and now I am really pleased to have
put it behind me", said Steve.
Many health professionals
and voluntary organisations will also be providing support
for those wanting to cut it out on 'No Smoking Day'.
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