Smoking rates in Sunderland have fallen to their lowest level on record, with more support than ever available for those who want to quit.
As No Smoking Day takes place on Wednesday 11 March, smokers across the city are being encouraged to take advantage of the help and resources available to stop smoking for good.
Sunderland’s Specialist Stop Smoking Service can provide free support right across the city. The service offers a range of options to help smokers quit including one-to-one expert advice, access to a free vape, free nicotine patches or other prescription medication.
Help to quit is also available in many GPs and pharmacies, as well as in Family Hubs.
Sunderland residents can also try the free Smoke Free app, which has features including access to support from experts and other local people. The app also gives access to a free vape starter kit, and ways to track progress.
Sharon Pearson, 63, from Washington has quit smoking with the help of the Stop Smoking Service, and says it was the one-to-one support from the service’s advisors that helped her stay on track. She said:
“I used a vape and patches to help me quit but having the advisors phone me to check in and remind me how far I’d come encouraged me to keep going.”
From starting to smoke while she was still at school, and at one point smoking up to 60 cigarettes a day, smoking was taking a toll on Sharon’s health. She explained:
“I was out of breath all the time and I couldn’t walk very far. I was just smoking for smoking’s sake and to be honest I don’t know how I could afford it.”
Now Sharon has received a certificate from Sunderland Stop Smoking Service for hitting 12 weeks smoke free, and she says she can already feel a big difference to her health and her finances.
“I can save money too; I’m putting away the money I spent on cigarettes to spend on holiday with my daughter,” she said.
Sharon wants to encourage anyone who has thought about quitting smoking to go for it. She said:
“Keep trying, even if you have a slip-up. If I can do it, anybody can do it.”
Councillor Kelly Chequer, Deputy Leader of Sunderland City Council and Cabinet member for Health, Wellbeing and Safer Communities, said:
“We know how damaging smoking is to health, and it’s fantastic that fewer people are smoking in Sunderland than ever before, but we really want to help more people go smoke free to improve their health and wellbeing.
“For many people the idea of quitting can be daunting, but there’s more support than ever before, so I’d encourage anyone wanting to quit to contact the Sunderland Stop Smoking Service to find out what support is right for them.”
Anyone interested in accessing the support can visit sunderlandstopsmokingservice.co.uk or call 0800 169 9913 for more information.
