Rotherham Council supports campaign

The January ‘Health Harms’ smokefree campaign highlights the damaging effect smoking has on the heart, as it is revealed that 45 people a day - 16,500 a year in England - die of cardiovascular disease caused by smoking.

CVD includes all diseases of the heart and circulation, including heart attacks and strokes. With CVD one of the main causes of death and disability in Rotherham, quitting has been identified as the single best thing a smoker can do to protect their heart.

According to Public Health England’s annual population survey, the number of adults smoking in Rotherham dropped by nearly 5 per cent between 2012 and 2015, and today 82 per cent of adults in Rotherham are non-smokers.

Over the next month Stop Smoking advisors will be pointing out the immediate harm caused by every cigarette and making people aware of the invisible damage caused.

Rotherham Council’s director for Public Health, Teresa Roche, said she was heartened by the fact that smoking rates in Rotherham are at an all-time low.