Council backs No Smoking Day

This year’s day has a ‘V for Victory’ theme which is aimed at inspiring people to win their fight against smoking.

On the day, the Council’s stop smoking service will have stalls in place in Asda in Blackburn, Tesco on Hill Street in Blackburn and Sainsbury’s in Darwen between 10-3pm. Health trainers will be on hand to give free CO checks as well as information, advice and guidance.

Since coming under Council control in April 2013 the service has helped over 1,800 people. It offers a range of personalised support to help people quit for good.

At local smoking clinics in pharmacies and GP surgeries around Blackburn with Darwen you can get one-to-one consultation with a trained stop smoking adviser, follow-up appointments, clinic times, quit kits and information and signposting support.

With the service expanding all the time, trained stop smoking advisers are now also able to provide support in communities where it is needed most.

Weekly clinics have so far been set up at Green Lane Community Centre on Thursdays 3-5.30pm and at Blackburn College for students and staff, Wednesdays 1.30-4pm.

More advisers will soon be in place to offer even more help.

Councillor Mohammed Khan, Executive Member for Health and Adult Social Care, said: “No Smoking Day is a great opportunity for us to encourage and support smokers in Blackburn with Darwen to quit alongside hundreds of thousands of other people across the UK. There’s a much higher chance of succeeding with support and this is why Blackburn with Darwen’s Stop Smoking Service is spreading the word to smokers about the range of services and resources which are locally available to them. Our activity is crucial to helping people on the road to victory and towards a healthier and wealthier smoke-free life.”

No Smoking Day is run by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and encouraged one million smokers to make a quit attempt last year.

For further information on the stop smoking service, phone (01254) 587999 or email:quitsmoking@blackburn.gov.uk.

For a list of local stop smoking clinics visit: http://refreshbwd.com and search ‘stop smoking service.’