National no smoking day

Story: Emma Msigiti

March 10th saw the annual No Smoking Day campaign across the U.K. In Burngreave we marked the day with an event at the Health Matters shop on Spital Hill – lung age and carbon monoxide testing were available, along with free entry to a prize draw for all those who attended.

Cigarette smoking is the single greatest cause of preventable death in the UK so stopping smoking is one of the most important things a person can do to improve their health. The No Smoking Day aims to encourage as many smokers as possible to make a commitment to quit. It raises awareness of the financial and health implications associated with smoking and gives information on the benefits of quitting.

I am the community stop-smoking worker in Burngreave, part of a team of 6 community-based advisers located in areas of the city identified as having higher rates of smoking than average.

In Burngreave and Fir Vale, about 1 in 3 of the adult population are current smokers. This is 10% higher than the city average and is a significant factor in the lower life expectancy of people in our community, compared to those in more affluent areas of the city. There is a 10-year discrepancy between people living in Burngreave compared to residents in areas such as Fulwood.

Smoking Facts

• A 20-per-day smoker spends over £2,000 a year on their habit

• Smokers inhale a toxic mix of over 4,000 chemicals including arsenic, cyanide and carbon monoxide

• Smoking causes 13 different types of cancer, with 90% of all lung cancer being directly related to smoking

• 1 in 2 smokers will die prematurely as a result of their habit

• 17,000 children are admitted to hospital each year in the UK with illnesses caused by breathing in ‘second hand’ smoke

It is never too late to stop smoking,

and the benefits of quitting start as soon as you stop.

Getting support to stop smoking can make quitting easier and greatly improve the chances of success. Anyone living or working in the Burngreave/Fir Vale areas can access free and confidential one-to-one or group support. I aim to provide a friendly and flexible service to help people through the process of quitting, and can support clients on a weekly basis at local community venues, work places or provide home visits where necessary.

In addition to one-to-one support, I also do ‘smoking awareness’ talks to community groups and have worked with schools to promote the Smoke Free Homes campaign. This aims to reduce smoking in the home and car in order to prevent the health risks to children from breathing in ‘second hand’ smoke.

I am employed by The Furnival Burngreave Community Projects and also work closely with the NHS Stop Smoking Service.

If you want to stop smoking, or require further information please call or text Emma Msigiti on 07847 893 134.