Are you kicking the habit?

It's that time of year again where islanders make resolutions, try to stick to them but more than often don't succeed.

If your new year's resolution is to quit smoking then there is a lot of support out there.

In both 2010 and 2011, the Help2Quit service received around 1,000 enquiries which led to 875 smokers being treated.

Local pharmacies across the island will provide help to those wanting to break the habit.

Earlier this year a consortium of community pharmacies won the contract to provide the service for the next 3 years.

The service will continue to be funded by Health and Social Services (HSSD).

Matt Johnson, spokesperson for Jersey community pharmacists said: "The move to a pharmacy-based programme will increase accessibility to the service for Jersey's smoking population - a service that is proven to greatly increase your chances of quitting smoking and then remaining smoke free."

The latest smoking figures show the proportion of adults who don’t (or have never) smoked has remained steady since 2007, at just under a half.

However, the number of cigarettes per day smoked by those who do smoke daily has seen an ongoing reduction, for both genders.

More information about the Help2Quit service can be found under the Health and Wellbeing section of gov.je. You can also call the helpline on 0800 735 1155.


Start your stop smoking plan with START

S = Set a quit date.

T = Tell family, friends, and co-workers that you plan to quit.

A = Anticipate and plan for the challenges you'll face while quitting.

R = Remove cigarettes and other tobacco products from your home, car, and work.

T = Talk to your doctor about getting help to quit.