Fined smokers in Swale refuse offer to kick the habit

More than 400 smokers have been fined £150 since October

Not a single person has signed up to take part in a new course designed to help people stop smoking by refunding fines for dropping cigarette butts.

Swale Borough Council launched the One You Smokefree initiative in October.

Since then, more than 400 smokers have been given £150 fixed penalty notices but none has taken up the six-week course in return for a £100 refund.

Councillor Nicholas Hampshire said it was "extremely disappointing" but everyone had a right "to smoke or not".

The course was launched in partnership with Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (KCHFT), and can be taken up either in a group or one-to-one with an adviser.

Participants receive a personal quit plan and can get nicotine replacement therapy on prescription for the duration of the course.

There are follow-up tests after six and 12 months to show they have not taken up smoking again, with the refund issued on successful completion.

The six-week course can be taken up either in a group or one-to-one with an adviser

Mr Hampshire said: "We're trying to make it as easy and clear as possible through either leaflets or having a note placed on the back of the fixed penalty notice to try to encourage people to lead a healthier lifestyle.

"We spend over £900,000 a year on street cleansing - 75% of the litter we collect in our town centres is smoking-related.

"It's a real sad state of affairs that 98% of fixed penalty notices we've issued since October are smoking-related," he added.

The One You Smokefree team runs clinics and groups across Kent, with 65% of people using the programme successfully managing to quit smoking compared to just 3% who try to quit by going it alone, according to KCHFT.