Smoking kills six a week

EVERY week six people in Warrington die from smoking related diseases – which has a potentially devastating effect on children’s lives.
The shock statistic is being used along with a new TV advertising campaign, launched by the Department of Health which aims to persuade children to try and help their parents stop smoking.
The TV advert, opens on a darkened child’s bedroom. A young girl is heard saying “I’m not scared of the dark”. The ad then cuts through a series of other images such as a crawling spider and the leering face of a clown, with the young girl saying “I’m not scared of spiders”, “I’m not scared of clowns”.
It ends with a group of young mums who are chatting together and smoking – and the girl says: “I’m scared of my mum smoking”.
One of the mums turns and smiles at the camera and the girl says: “I’m scared that my mum will die”.
The adverts will be timed to air in the early evening when both parents and their children are most likely to be watching together, to trigger discussion and motivate parents to use local NHS Stop Smoking Services, which are proven to make stopping smoking up to four times more likely. The NHS Smoking Helpline can be reached on 0800 169 0169.
In fact, 260 people die every day in the North West from smoking related diseases.
Warrington’s total is six – but it is actually one of the lowest in the region.
Neighbouring boroughs fare worse with Wigan, 11, Salford, 10, and Trafford, Salford and Knowsley all seven.
Regional Tobacco Policy Manager Andrea Crossfield, said: “Parents in the North West are increasingly aware of the negative impact smoking can have on their children, not just through secondhand smoke but because their kids are scared for their mum or dad’s health. Local NHS Stop Smoking Services can help anyone who wants to stop smoking, and people who quit using these services are up to four times more likely to stop successfully.
“All children should be entitled to grow up in a healthy environment without being exposed to the harmful effects of tobacco. We hope the new advertising campaign, combined with the support offered by local stop smoking services, will encourage more parents to quit.”