Smoking rates fall as more residents give up for good

Smoking rates fall as more residents give up for good

Ex-smoker Kayleigh Phillips is one of 3,000 residents who've been supported by the Be Well Stop Smoking Service

There are now fewer smokers in Wigan Borough than ever before, according to figures released during Stoptober.

The number of adults who smoke tobacco has fallen below 29,000 to just 10.43% of the borough’s adult population.

Based on annual surveys from the last three years, it represents a drop from 14.1% for 2020 to 2022 and now brings the borough within touching distance of the national average (10.26%).

The significant progress has been achieved thanks to a combination of support services, local and national legislation, and enforcement.

Councillor Keith Cunliffe, Wigan Council’s deputy leader and cabinet portfolio holder for adult social care and health, said: “We’ve made real progress towards making Wigan Borough smoke-free in recent years, with a major focus on prevention and achieving our first smoke-free generation.

“Alongside Government action on tobacco and vapes, our ethical advertising policy restricts advertising that harms physical and mental health, while our trading standards team have been cracking down on illegal sales.

“And through our successful Be Well Stop Smoking Service we’ve also been supporting those who do smoke to give up for good and, by doing so, to manage or reduce their risk of long-term health conditions including cancer, heart disease, stroke and COPD.

“The latest figures are really encouraging and it’s wonderful to know the hard work of our Smoke Free Partnership is making a real difference in our communities.”

Wigan Borough’s vision of a smoke-free future will get a major boost from January when the Tobacco and Vapes Act comes into force - making it illegal to sell tobacco to anyone born on, or after, 1st January 2009.

Proactive action on illegal sales to minors also appears to have made an impact, with a recent trading standards survey finding 97% of 14 to 17 year olds had never tried smoking at all.

Meanwhile, 3,000 adults have begun their own smoke-free journey with the Be Well Stop Smoking Service over the past three years.

The service provides free personalised support and nicotine substitutes, while its digital stop smoking assistant ‘Quit Coach’ offers guidance and encouragement through WhatsApp.

Now the council is doubling down on its assistance for those who want to quit by offering FREE access to the highly successful Allen Carr’s Easyway method, which has already helped an estimated 50 million people with stopping smoking, vaping and other addictions over the past 40 years.

Combining online seminars with cognitive behavioural therapy, and endorsed by both the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), it works without the need for patches, gums, inhalators, e-cigarettes or any other medications or nicotine substitutes.

Published studies have found that more than half of participants are able to remain smoke-free after 12 months.

Typically costing £379 per person, the programme will now be available at no charge to smokers aged 18 and over who live, work, or are registered to a GP in Wigan Borough.

Coun Cunliffe added: “Everybody is different and the more choice we can offer smokers who want to quit the better as we continue our efforts to improve the health of our communities and reduce the burden on the NHS.”

For more information on the Be Well Stop Smoking Service, Quit Coach and the Allen Carr’s Easyway to Stop Smoking Method, visit the Be Well website (external link).