Hundreds of Cornwall smokers helped to kick habit

Research by charity Ash suggests there are about 54,000 adult smokers in Cornwall

Hundreds of smokers kicked the habit thanks to help from a campaign, Cornwall Council has said.

Healthy Cornwall's Stop Smoking service helped 799 smokers quit between April 2022 and March 2023, it said.

It is urging other smokers to do the same in a new campaign in October, called Stoptober.

In 2021, 11.5% of adults in Cornwall were smokers, but this number dropped to 10.3% in 2022, said the council.

According to the latest statistics from the charity Ash (Action on Smoking and Health), there are currently about 54,000 adult smokers in Cornwall, each spending more than £2,400 annually on their smoking habit.

Dr Ruth Goldstein, assistant director of public health at Cornwall Council, said: "More and more people are choosing to ditch the cigarettes, so why not join them and be a quitter?

"There's plenty of help too, so I would encourage all the smokers out there to stub out their habit this October."

Councillor Andy Virr, portfolio holder for adults and public health and a local doctor, said: "In my job, I see the devastation that smoking causes to people's lives all the time.

"For smokers, quitting is the single best thing you can do for their health, so why not make a change this Stoptober?"

Smokers can now text "SMOKEFREE" to 82228 to receive regular support before, during, and after their attempt to quit.