‘Smoking doesn’t care about you’ – TV advert launched in Sheffield to show people the impact smoking has on loved ones

Smokefree Sheffield released the advert to encourage more smokers to quit this January following a decline in the number of smokers in the city of around four per cent in 2017/18.

With one in every two people dying in the UK from smoking-related causes, the advert is told from the perspective of those who have lost someone from smoking and says that “smoking doesn’t care about you, but we do”.

It will launch on ITV on demand, out-of-home and across social media channels on January 6 and give feature smokers information about services available to help them quit.

Greg Fell, Director of Public Health Sheffield, said: “Tobacco kills around 16 people in Sheffield every week and every one of those people has loved ones, family, friends or colleagues who care about them. We want smokers to think about that when they go for their next fag break, about the people left behind and the impact it has on all their lives.

“Tobacco is a multi-billion pound industry, it doesn’t care about smokers or their families, it just destroys lives. We’ve made positive strides towards reducing the number of people smoking in Sheffield, but we have more to do and we are working hard with partners to support people in Sheffield to quit because we do care.”

The advert has received support from Smokefree Sheffield’s partners, including Sheffield Council and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, and on a regional and national level from Action on Smoking and Health and PHE Breathe 2025.

An event will be held near the stop smoking service stall in The Moor Market on January 9 to offer support and advice to smokers.

Councilor Mary Lea, Cabinet Member for Culture, Parks and Leisure at Sheffield Council, added: “People lose loved ones every day from smoking-related illnesses and we have an opportunity to do something about it. January is a pivotal time for people to take their first step to quitting and our Smokefree Sheffield advert shows how much we care about getting people the support they need."

For more information visit www.smokefreesheffield.org.