Smoking

Cigarettes in an ash tray

Smoking is the single greatest preventable cause of premature death and avoidable illness. It affects health directly and contributes to diseases such as cancers, coronary heart disease, lung disease and stroke as well as many others.

Twenty three percent of the population of Northern Ireland are smokers with smoking causing 2300 deaths each year in Northern Ireland and 120,000 deaths UK wide. Approximately half of all regular cigarette smokers will eventually be killed by their habit as each cigarette shortens the lifespan by five minutes, which on average shortens the smoker’s life by 10-15 years.

Smoking 20 cigarettes a day costs a person approximately £2000 per year. Seventy percent of smokers want to give it up but find it extremely difficult because of their addiction to tobacco.

Stopping smoking is the single most important thing that a person can do to improve their health and the health of those around them.

Benefits of quitting smoking

It is never too late to quit. Immediate benefits will be seen from giving up smoking. Within –

  • 20 minutes – Blood pressure and pulse return to normal
  • 8 hours – Nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in the blood reduce by half and oxygen levels return to normal
  • 24 hours – Carbon monoxide will be eliminated from the body
  • 48 hours – There is no nicotine left in the body
  • 72 hours – Breathing becomes easier
  • 3-9 months – Coughs, wheezing and breathing problems improve as lung function increases
  • 1 year – Risk of heart attack is half that of a smoker
  • 10 years – Risk of lung cancer falls to half that of a smoker

Advice/support

Smokers are much more likely to be successful in quitting if they have one or more forms of support. There are many different kinds of support and advice available including:

For further information on specific smoking cessation services available within your area contact your GP, pharmacist or the Trust's Health Improvement Service, contact:

Health Improvement/ Community Development Service
Spruce House
Braid Valley Hospital Site
Cushendall Rd
Ballymena
BT43 6HL
Tel: 028 2563 5575

No Smoking Day

National No Smoking Day is on the second Wednesday of March every year. This is a national campaign aimed at encouraging smokers to quit on No Smoking Day and to think about giving up for good. You are encouraged to take this opportunity each year to partake in activities to promote No Smoking Day and Smoking Cessation. 

Page last updated:08 February 2013