North East Lincolnshire Council is saying ‘Yes to Quit’ with new smoking campaign

The campaign coincides with the Tobacco and Vapes Bill’s progression through Parliament, which aims to create a smoke-free generation by restricting the sale of tobacco products and regulating vaping.

Around 280 people in North East Lincolnshire die each year due to smoking. That’s around 23 people a month.

According to Action on Smoking and Health, 16.6 per cent of adults 18 and over in North East Lincolnshire smoke – this is around 20.8k people.

Smoking prevalence, mortality and ill health can be found here, and can be shown by local authority: Smoking Profile - Data | Fingertips | Department of Health and Social Care

The Yes to Quit website, yestoquit.co.uk, shares information about ways to quit and links to local stop smoking services. Get in touch with your free, local stop smoking service by calling 01472 325500 or visit livewell.nelincs.gov.uk.

The council’s wellbeing workers are on hand to provide support for various aspects of your wellbeing. They offer advice, signpost to services and arrange 1:1 sessions.

Deputy Director of Public Health at North East Lincolnshire Council, Geoff Barnes, said:

“Smoking is the leading lifestyle cause for the gap in life expectancy between the rich and poor. Around half of all lifelong smokers will die prematurely, losing an average of 10 years of life.

“By working collaboratively, we’ve been able to launch a mass media, population level campaign right across Yorkshire and the Humber which aims to reach more people and help them to find the services right for them when quitting smoking.”

Councillor Stan Shreeve, deputy leader of North East Lincolnshire Council and portfolio holder for health, wellbeing and adult social care, said:

“Most people who smoke get addicted as children and desperately want to stop. This new campaign emphasises the harms of tobacco and provides information and support to help people say yes to quitting.

“Around 12.3k children in North East Lincolnshire live in smoking households, and each year, around 430 of them will start smoking. These statistics from Action on Smoking and Health are shocking and show just how important it is that we take action and support our young people to choose a healthier life. The household they live in is a significant contributing factor to whether a young person will pick up a cigarette, so I urge people to get help and choose to quit today.”

Scott Crosby, Associate Director for the Humber and North Yorkshire Centre for Excellence in Tobacco Control said:

“This campaign is a stark reminder that smoking kills two in three long-term smokers – claiming over 7,500 lives each year in Yorkshire and Humber alone. That’s why we are uniting across the region to help people quit and protect future generations from ever starting.

“The Third Reading of the historic Tobacco and Vapes Bill is a once-in-a-generation chance to protect people from this uniquely lethal product and make it easier for smokers to quit for good. Most people who smoke want to stop, and with the right support – whether stop smoking services, quitting aids, or switching completely to vaping – it’s much easier. Thousands successfully quit every year and live healthier, longer lives.

“If you’ve tried before, don’t stop trying. Your next attempt could be the one that works.”

Throughout the campaign, people will be sharing their experiences of quitting and what worked for them.

Jill from Immingham used the NHS app to quit smoking and has now been smokefree for more than six months, after her young son asked her to stop: “It was really scary because I genuinely didn’t believe that I’d do it and make it stick. I thought I’d have this addiction until I died.”

Wendy from Bradford, now living in Grimsby, shares her story, which sees her undergo surgery after a lung scan found cancer. “Sometimes I think, I’ve done this damage to myself by putting that tobacco into my bloodstream and smoking,” she said. “It’s never too late to quit, even if you have cancer.”

Alex from York quit while pregnant but soon started again but after a message from her GP, she thought she’d try the in-person sessions from her local stop smoking service. “I hit 30 and thought, I’m not sure I want to do this for another 10 years. Stopping smoking was relatively easy compared to what I thought it was going to be.”

If you, or someone you care about, is thinking of quitting smoking, visit yestoquit.co.uk to find your nearest services and the types of support available. You can also contact the council’s wellbeing service on 01472 325500.