Smokers urged to ditch the habit to improve lung health

On 31 May every year World No Tobacco Day is celebrated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and its global partners. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use, second-hand smoke exposure as well as to discourage any form of tobacco use. This year’s focus is "Tobacco and Lung Health".

Dr Hamdi Amar, Consultant Respiratory Physician said: "Smoking is very damaging to lung health and smokers have a higher risk of developing or exacerbating a range of lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, lung cancer and tuberculosis. Stopping smoking is one of the most important ways to improve the health of people with lung disease, or prevent it from occurring."

Dr Rhona Reardon, Help2Quit Coordinator, encouraged smokers to make use of the service’s support. She said: "We see a large number of people with respiratory disease and the difference they report in their quality of life once they quit smoking is remarkable. The message is clear, even if you have a respiratory condition, it’s never too late to quit".
The Help2Quit service offers free help for smokers who want to quit and has now expanded its pharmacy service to 22 pharmacies around the island, this means that smokers can get support from a pharmacy in a location that is convenient to them.
Smokers who want to find out more about giving up can find details of their nearest pharmacy at gov.je/help2quit. Those who may need more intensive support to quit – such as pregnant women, or islanders with a long-term health condition - can find out about specialist support by calling Help2Quit’s free phone number on 0800 735 1155.