Break free from the chains of cigarette addiction - McGimpsey

Health Minister Michael McGimpsey has urged smokers to take the first step towards quitting smoking, on No Smoking Day 2010.

The Minister was speaking at the Ulster Cancer Foundation’s headquarters as he launched this year’s No Smoking Day, an annual health awareness campaign aimed at helping smokers who want to quit smoking. The theme for this year’s No Smoking Day, which will take place on 10 March, is ‘Break free - we can help’.

The Minister said: "Smoking is the single greatest cause of preventable illness and premature death in Northern Ireland. It is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, strokes and other diseases of the circulatory system. Approximately 2,300 people die each year in Northern Ireland from smoking related illnesses.

“Let's be clear - quitting smoking is the single most effective step that smokers can take to improve their long term health.”

The Minister commented on the importance of No Smoking Day, saying: “This provides an important opportunity for thousands of smokers who want to quit. The annual No Smoking Day campaign has been very effective in Northern Ireland compared to other regions in the UK. This success is down to the co-ordinated efforts of a number of local statutory and voluntary organisations.

“I encourage all smokers to take the first step towards quitting on 10 March, by accessing one of the many methods of support available.”

The Minister continued: “While surveys have shown that the majority of smokers would like to give up, the addictive nature of nicotine can make this difficult. My Department has provided support by investing almost £9million between 2007/08 and 2009/10 for tobacco control initiatives. These have included smoking cessation programmes and the provision of Nicotine Replacement Therapy.”

There are now over 600 smoking cessation services available across Northern Ireland in a range of settings, including pharmacies, GP surgeries and community centres. These services have helped more than 42,000 smokers to set a quit date between 2007/08 and 2008/09.

The Minister added: “In addition to helping smokers to quit, I want to help ensure that children and young people do not take up the habit in the first place. This will be a priority in my Department’s revised Tobacco Action Plan which will set strategic direction for smoking reduction efforts over the next five years.”

In line with the rest of the UK, the DHSSPS intends to issue draft regulations for consultation which will see both displays of tobacco products at point of sale, and sales of tobacco from vending machines banned in Northern Ireland. While only 1% of adults regularly obtain cigarettes from vending machines, a recent study showed they are the main source of tobacco for 17% of 11-15 year olds.

The Minister said: “The distribution of cigarettes through vending machines is a popular way for many young people to access cigarettes. That is why I decided to participate in UK-wide legislation to bring forward measures to reduce the uptake of smoking by children and young people.”

Notes to editors:

1. No Smoking Day is an annual health awareness day in the United Kingdom that is intended to help smokers who want to quit smoking. The first No Smoking Day took place on Ash Wednesday in 1984 and it now takes place annually on the second Wednesday in March. The date for the 27th year of the campaign is 10 March 2010.
2. The campaign is funded and run by an alliance of organisations including health promotion bodies, professional organisations and charities, all committed to reducing smoking-related diseases. The Ulster Cancer Foundation hosts and chairs the No Smoking Day Co-ordinating Committee (NI).
3. The theme for 2010 is about inspiring and enabling smokers to escape from their habit. The campaign image is of a smoker's hands breaking free from a chain of cigarettes and the strap line for the campaign is "Break free - we can help".
4. Adult smoking prevalence is currently 24% (approx. 300,000 people in NI).
5. As well as being responsible for over 2,300 deaths each year in Northern Ireland, a strong relationship exists between smoking and inequalities, with more people dying of smoking related illnesses in disadvantaged areas of Northern Ireland than in more affluent areas.
6. There are currently over 600 smoking cessation services available throughout Northern Ireland, over half of which are available in community pharmacies.
7. Press enquiries to the DHSSPS Press Office on 028 9052 0575. Out of hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.