I'm going to change my SMOKING HABITS

Giving up smoking is the greatest single step you can take to improve your health and live longer.

Effects of Smoking

Smoking increases your risk of developing a range of serious diseases including cancer and heart disease as well as pneumonia and chronic (long-term) health problems including angina, impotence, infertility, osteoporosis and asthma.

In Nottingham over one third of people smoke (39%) and it's the major cause of early death in the city.

Benefits of quitting include:

• Better all round health
• Easier breathing
• Having more money to spend on yourself and your family 
• A reduced the risk of serious diseases

Making the following pledges will enable you to make small steps to changing your SMOKING HABITS:

• Set a quit date
• Stop smoking in front of my kids
• Stop smoking in my home
• Seek help to stop smoking

By making a personal pledge that you feel is manageable and realistic you will be on your way to becoming more healthy. You don't have to use the above list to make a pledge - you can MAKE YOUR OWN!

It's Easy - Click HERE to make your pledge today!The following FREE local health services can help you achieve your goal.

Healthy Change is a new, innovative referral and support service for adults living in Nottingham who are at risk of developing heart disease. If you smoke, are overweight, physically inactive and/or have a poor diet, Healthy Change could help you to adopt a healthier lifestyle with:

• Telephone access to trained staff who will assess your needs and ensure that you have easy access to the right support services, which could include the Physical Activity on Referral Service, Slimming World on Referral, Cook and Eat sessions, Cycling for Health and Best Foot Forward.
• On-going individual motivational support and coaching.

Call 0345 604 7352 to find out more.  Available 8am-8pm Monday - Friday

Smoke-Free Homes and Smoke Free Zones  
Residents across the City are being encouraged to make their homes and cars smoke-free zones, to protect the health of those living and visiting there - particularly babies and children.

Young children's greatest exposure to tobacco smoke occurs at home. Research has shown that in the UK around 17,000 children, under the age of five, are admitted to hospital every year with an illness related to second-hand smoke (SHS).

Smokers inhale 15% of the smoke. 85% released into the air.The effect of second hand tobacco on children's health identified that it is a cause of bronchitis, pneumonia, coughing and wheezing, asthma, middle ear infection, cot death, and an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease and lung cancer.

The Smoke Free Homes project encourages people, to consider the effects of SHS the project seeks to obtain 'promises' from householders to ban smoking or restrict where it takes place within the confines of their home and car.

The promises are: 

• Bronze Promise "I/We promise never to smoke in the presence of the children"
• Silver Promise "I/We promise to allow smoking only in 1 well ventilated room and never smoke in the presence of the children"
• Gold Promise "I/We promise to make the house totally smoke-free at all times"

People that sign up to the gold promise will be entered into a £50 prize draw.  

New Leaf Stopping smoking can be difficult, so if you need  help you can contact New Leaf, the free friendly and confidential NHS smoking cessation service.

If you get help from New Leaf you are four times more likely to stop than if you go it alone. More than 60 sessions (one-to-ones, drop ins or telephone) are available each week with specially-trained advisers, plus access to  Nicotine Replacement Therapy (patches, gum, lozenges etc) and other medication..

New Leaf helped over 2, 650 people in Nottingham  in stopping  smoking in 2010-11 .

To get help call New Leaf FREE 0800 561 2121, or text the word "new" for FREE to 80800.  Click here to find out more