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Campaign encourages smokers to get help to give up before Northern Ireland goes smokefree
Smokers are being encouraged to seek help to quit in the run up to the introduction of smokefree legislation through a new campaign launched today by the Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland (HPA).
'Giving up', a new television and radio campaign, highlights that smokers are up to four times more likely to quit for good if they use specialist smoking cessation services and nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) such as gum, patches and lozenges.1
Dr Brian Gaffney, Chief Executive of the HPA said: “Giving up smoking isn't easy as nicotine is a highly addictive drug, but over three quarters of smokers in Northern Ireland (77%) have said that they would like to quit. 2 This campaign will let those smokers know that they don't have to go it alone and that free professional support is available in their local area to help take the stress out of quitting.
“Through our research we have found that there is a need to change smokers' perceptions of the actual process of giving up and to emphasise that quitting is possible, withdrawal symptoms can be managed and help and support can increase the chances of successfully stopping. With the implementation of smokefree legislation in just over six months' time, this is an ideal opportunity for those smokers who want to quit to start planning now. Free information and professional advice is available by contacting the Smokers' Helpline on 0800 85 85 85.”
The ‘Giving up’ advertising campaign will be broadcast for four weeks from Tuesday 5 September 2006. It aims to raise awareness of the different types of help and support available to smokers and to encourage those making a quit attempt to make more use of the available services.
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Notes
to editors:
The HPA�s television advertising campaign can be viewed at:
www.healthpromotionagency.org.uk/shared/adverts.asp?advert=givingup
For
further information:
Rosie McGaughey or Jenny Dougan at the HPA on Tel - 028 9031 1611.
1. West R, McNeill A, Raw M. Smoking cessation guidelines for health professionals: An update. Thorax 2000; 55(12):989-99.
2. Central Survey Unit. Continuous Household Survey 2004/05. Belfast: Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, 2005.
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