New Government funding aims to boost stop smoking quit rates across the county

Derbyshire County Council is set to receive over five million pounds in funding over the next five years to help reduce smoking rates across the county.

The money comes from the central government Stopping the Start fund, that aims to see the number of people who quit smoking double over the next five years.

In turn this will support the Government to achieve its aim that England will be smoke free by 2030

Smoking is the single most entirely preventable cause of ill health, disability, and death in the UK.

Smoking increases your risk of developing more than 50 serious health conditions including cancer, heart attacks and strokes.

Latest figures show that in Derbyshire 14% of people aged 18 and over are smokers, and the highest prevalence rates are in Erewash (18.9%), Bolsover (17.3%) and High Peak (15.9%).

Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Communities Councillor Carol Hart said: “Nationally, smoking is responsible for around 80,000 deaths a year and no other legally available consumer product will kill up to two-thirds of its users.

“That is why we are committed to driving down smoking rates in Derbyshire and we are delighted to receive this funding to help us achieve that.”

Live Life Better Derbyshire’s stop smoking service manager Alex Carlow added: “This additional funding is great news for our service as it will provide more resource which allows us to reach out and support more people to stop smoking.”

Funding will go towards expanding the council’s inhouse stop smoking service support as well as increasing demand for services, providing training to partners and working with hard-to-reach audiences.

The council’s inhouse lifestyle support programme – Live Life Better Derbyshire – offers a free, 12 week stop smoking service that includes:

• telephone support sessions
• one-to-one support
• access to free nicotine replacement therapy including patches, mouth spray, gum, inhalators and lozenges
• access to free vape starter kits and a 12-week supply of e-liquid (vapes are only available to adults only and are not currently available for pregnant clients)
• advice on stop smoking medications

To find out more visit www.livelifebetterderbyshire.org.uk or call 0800 085 2299.