To mark No Smoking Day (March 12 2008) the British Lung Foundation is calling for Nicotine Replacement Therapy to be made available free of charge for life to help those who wish to stop smoking for good.
Smoking causes 12,000 deaths a year and is a leading cause of lung diseases such as COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), which kills more women than breast cancer.
“It is vital that smoking cessation services are available to people free of charge for as long as they need them, which in some cases may be for life,” says Dame Helena Shovelton, Chief Executive of the British Lung Foundation.
“Smoking needs to be treated as a disease in its own right in a similar way to alcoholism or high blood pressure and people need effective and long term support. Given how much smoking related illnesses cost the NHS, making NRT free would be a cost-effective way of encouraging people to kick the habit.”
Nicotine Replacement Therapy including patches, chewing gum and inhalers have been proven to reduce nicotine cravings and have helped millions of people stop smoking. Unfortunately, buying the products can cost a similar amount to a packet of cigarettes.
Nearly three million people in the UK have COPD, but don’t know it and currently it is often only detected once the disease has reached a more severe stage. Using smoking cessation services, such as Nicotine Replacement Therapy will help more people stop smoking and lower their risk of developing lung disease.
For more information on how to quit smoking, please click here. For press enquiries please contact Kerry Kalcher or Casey Purkiss on 0207 688 5564.
