NATIONAL No Smoking Day in the UK may be nearly two months away – but that hasn’t stopped a dedicated “stop smoking adviser” getting the message out nice and early.
While smoking rates across Scotland have fallen significantly in recent years – from 28 per cent in 2003 to 19 per cent in 2018, the most recent year for which data is available – Kathy Graham, from the Argyll and Bute health and social care partnership’s team of “smoke free advisers”, says there is plenty of help at hand for people in the area who chose to kick the habit as their New Year resolution for 2021.
Kathy, who covers the Helensburgh and Lomond area as well as Cowal, Oban and Lorn, says the ‘Quit Your Way’ service is at the heart of efforts to help smokers change their lives for the better.
“Everyone’s journey is different,” she said, “so advisers will provide a bespoke stop smoking programme for every individual client.
“The NHS Quit Your Way stop smoking service is free, supportive, non-judgemental and is generally provided over a 12-week programme.
"Regular contact is made throughout to review each individual’s progress and any challenges that arise.
“Advisers also talk through the medications available, discuss what would work best for the client and arrange for these to be prescribed.”
Stopping smoking has immediate health benefits, such as a lower heart rate, improved levels of carbon monoxide in the body, and a better sense of taste and smell, while improvements in coughing, breathing and lung function can be experienced within weeks of giving up.
To find out more about the Quit Your Way programme, contact Kathy on 07972 678923 or email nhsh.absmokefreeservices@nhs.scot.
If you want to stop smoking, you can also complete an online form at bit.ly/Smoke-Free-Highland and your local adviser will get in touch with you.
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