Smoke Free Cumbria
Our vision is to create a smoke-free generation in Cumbria by 2030. Our Plan at the council is to support this vision and the National Tobacco Control Plan, we are kick starting our efforts by making 2018 the year when we join forces and mobilise at scale to help Cumbria become smoke free. We would like to see everyone across the public, private and third sector pledging to do at least one thing to help people to stop smoking and help achieve our vision for a smoke free Cumbria.
How workplaces employers can support Smoke Free Cumbria (PDF 1MB)
Support to quit
Why not visit your local Stop Smoking Service and have a conversation with an understanding expert? Find your nearest service or Text "pharmacy stop your postcode" to 80011.
There's more free, proven support for you! Millions have used NHS Smokefree support to help them stop smoking. Choose from an app, quit kit, email, SMS and face-to-face guidance - Sign up to NHS Smokefree.
Vaping and e-cigarettes
Colin Cox, Director of Public Health said:
"There is now strong evidence that vaping and e-cigarettes are considerably less harmful than smoking tobacco and that there is a strong case to be made for encouraging smokers who can't or don't want to quit to make the switch to vaping instead.
"The key messages I want to promote are if you don't smoke, don't start vaping; if you do smoke, stop altogether if you can - and our pharmacies can help; and if you can't stop, or don't want to - switch to vaping.
"Cumbria's smoking rate is dropping and latest figures show that less than 16% of the adult population continue to smoke. However this still represents about 60,000 adult smokers across the county, so there's a lot more to be done to help get the numbers down further."
Stoptober
Each year thousands quit smoking for 28 days with Stoptober starting on 1st October. Find your personal quit plan now.
By signing up they access a range of free support including packs, emails, texts and an app - all providing information, advice and daily tips to help them through the month.
Everyone quits together, supported by employers, communities, charities and other partners, as well encouraging each other via a Facebook page. And by making it to 28 days smoke free, they are five times more likely to quit for good.
If you're thinking about quitting smoking now or want more information about support when you're ready to quit, there is plenty of advice and expert help available on the Smokefree website.
Smokefree Cars
On 1 October 2015 it became illegal to smoke in vehicles with someone under 18 present. This law helps protect children from the dangers of secondhand smoke. Both the driver and the smoker could be fined £50 if anyone smokes in the vehicle. Find out more about Smokefree Cars.
Smoking in Pregnancy
If you are a smoker and planning to have a baby, the best thing you can do is stop before trying to get pregnant, here's some useful tools to help:
The SmokeFree Baby app provides you with expert advice on stopping smoking in pregnancy. SmokeFree Baby has been developed by a research team at University College London who specialise in supporting quit attempts. It is designed to help you give up smoking completely or reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke. We believe that everyone can quit - or at least cut down - and the less you smoke the healthier you and your baby will be.Tommy's Midwives has also launched a new digital tool to help women plan for pregnancy. If you've decided you're ready to start a family, go to www.tommys.org/planforpregnancy to find some of the lifestyle changes that might help you.
Smoke Free Workplaces
We've produced guidance for workplaces in Cumbria (PDF 1MB) to support the drive to a Smoke Free Cumbria, helping employers to support people to stop smoking and to ultimately become a Smoke Free workplace. Smoking remains the biggest cause of ill-health in our working population. Every year smoking causes around 96,000 deaths in the United Kingdom and smokers under the age of 40 have a five time greater risk of heart attack.
For further information and advice please contact Georgina Ternent - Public Heath, email georgina.ternent@cumbria.gov.uk.