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Quit smoking - why quit?

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Here are some good reasons to kick the smoking habit: 

  • Smoking is the UK's biggest single cause of ill health and premature death
  • Smokers have a one in two risk of getting ill and dying early from smoking
  • Smoking kills around 114,000 people each year in the UK, compared with 5,000 who die in road accidents
  • 13 people die each hour because of smoking
  • Over 80% of all lung cancer deaths are caused by smoking
  • £1.7 billion a year is spent by the NHS treating diseases caused by smoking
  • Every year 285,000 people are admitted to NHS hospitals to be treated for diseases related to smoking
  • One in five adults over the age of 16 in Hampshire smoke and this is equivalent to an average of 5,626 years of life lost each year

The good news is that quitting works. Evidence shows that stopping smoking, even when you're well into middle age, will help you avoid most of the risk of developing cancer. If you stop before middle age, you'll avoid over 90% of the health risks associated with smoking.

Surveys show that at least 70% of smokers would like to stop. The most important single factor is making a real commitment to stop, but people who use medication and get professional help are four times more likely to succeed than those who don’t.

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