To mark national No Smoking Day on Wednesday 8^th March, Sefton Council is reminding people about Smokefree Sefton, which can help people across the Borough break the habit.

Anyone of any age

Anyone of any age who lives, works or studies in Sefton and wants to stop smoking can contact Smokefree Sefton or get a reference through their GP.

Support is also available to anyone, including parents and carers, who is concerned about young people who are smoking or vaping. Information and advice are available by telephone, text and email and there are resource packs as well as information for schools.

1-to-1 help

Young people can speak to specialist advisors and 1-to-1 help is available in in schools, youth clubs, sports clubs, or any venue that works with young people. There are also training sessions for people professionals who work with young people, so that they can offer advice.

You can find out more about Smokefree Sefton here.

The freephone number to call Smokefree Sefton is 0300 100 1000.

Life-saving lung check-up 

People aged 55 to 74 in south Sefton with a history of smoking and registered with a local GP surgery are being invited to take part in a ground-breaking lung check-up scheme, which has already saved hundreds of lives across England.

NHS England’s Lung Health Check programme, which targets those most at risk of lung cancer, has improved significantly the earlier detection of the disease. Within the Merseyside and Cheshire region, targeted lung health checks have identified 111 lung cancers so far, of which, 68.5% were at stage 1. This has enabled 74 people diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer to receive curative treatment.

Target

Cllr Moncur, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing at Sefton Council said: “The Government has said that seven years from today’s No Smoking Day, in 2030, smoking prevalence in England will have been reduced to 5% of the adult population or below, but unfortunately the country will not reach that target until 2039.

“In Sefton, we are working to make every single day a No Smoking Day when someone gives up the habit. I know how difficult it is so would encourage people to find out more about the excellent range of support that is available through Smokefree Sefton.

“And I would also urge older, former smokers in the South Sefton area to take advantage of the NHS England’s Lung Health Check programme, even if they feel well. The vast majority of those who have a scan will be fine but for the few who do have something wrong, spotting it early can make all the difference.”

People can find out more about the Lung Health Check programme here.