HAMPSHIRE County Council is encouraging smokers to stop as part of the new Health Harms campaign.

Quitting smoking reduces the risk of developing serious, debilitating lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, with many smokers often dismissing the early signs as a “smoker’s cough”.

Patricia Stallard, the county council’s executive member for health and public health, said: “Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a serious condition which can greatly impact on a person’s quality of life.

“Large numbers of people with the disease are unable to participate in everyday activities such as climbing stairs, housework or gardening, with many even unable to take a holiday because of their disease.

“I want to remind people that there is help if they are worried about the harm smoking is doing to their health and want to quit. In Hampshire, Quit4Life, the local NHS stop-smoking service commissioned by the county council, has already helped nearly 2,000 smokers quit in the past six months. Using this free expert service means you are up to four times more likely to be successful.”

In a survey, 75 per cent of those Hampshire smokers who responded told the county council that they would be most likely to think about quitting if smoking was making them ill and 57 per cent would consider taking action if someone close to them was being made ill through smoking.”

For more details, call Quit4Life on 0845 602 4663, text QUIT to 60123, or visit quit4life.nhs.uk.