Date: 03/04/2008
Whether this is your first or 10th attempt to quit, all evidence shows that people who get support when attempting to stop smoking are likely to be more successful than people who don't, regardless of using nicotine replacement therapies or willpower alone.
Glossop Leisure Centre and Gamesley Community Centre are working with the Tameside and Glossop Stop Smoking Service to offer local people the opportunity to access free practical support - with a step by step approach tailored to their needs by offering information, resources and techniques that will help people stop and stay stopped.
Sessions are currently available at the following venues:
Glossop Leisure Centre:Wednesdays 1.15pm - 2pm (in the lounge area)
Gamesley Community Centre:Thursdays: 3pm - 5pm and 7.15pm - 8pm
The support group is free to attend. The adviser at each session can plan a course of nicotine replacement therapies and non-nicotine based therapies which when referred to a person's GP will only cost the price of a prescription. Those eligible for free prescriptions will get these free.
Andrew Bingham, Executive Councillor for Social and Community Development said: "According to statistics from 'The Stop Smoking Service' I understand that there are over 100 deaths every year in Tameside and Glossop from just lung cancer alone, which can be directly linked to smoking. Tameside and Glossop's population has a higher prevalence of smoking at 33%, which is 6% higher than the national figure.
"Here at High Peak Borough Council we fully support this initiative as it improves the lives of local people and I would actively encourage anyone trying to give up smoking to take advantage of this free professional service."
For more information, please can call Tameside and Glossop Stop Smoking Service on 0845 053 3302 where telephone support can also be arranged. Alternatively, please drop in at any of the sessions as listed above.