Don't give up on giving up smoking

An exciting new initiative to help people quit smoking is about to open its doors across the Hywel Dda University Health Board area.
The iQUIT service offers advice and support from local community pharmacies to help people stop smoking and improve the quality of their life. This scheme adds to the range of support already available so that those who want to give up smoking can all find the free service that is right for them.
Whilst quitting is not always easy, the chances of successfully stopping are four times higher if smokers use a recognised behavioural support programme like iQUIT alongside nicotine replacement therapy.
Teresa Owen, Director of Public Health for the University Health Board said:
“Smoking remains Wales’ number one cause of avoidable early death and has a huge impact on people’s quality of life through its part in the development of chronic chest and heart conditions. Passive smoking also has a harmful effect on those people around smokers especially babies and children.
For these reasons, the iQUIT service will be an invaluable source of support for those persons wanting to make an attempt to stop smoking. This will contribute towards achieving the University Health Boards aim to reduce smoking rates across Hywel Dda so that its population enjoys better health and wellbeing; to ensure people live longer, healthier lives; and to reduce the impact of smoking related illness on quality of life”.
Full details of how to access this new and innovative service are available on the University Health Boards website at www.hywelddahb.wales.nhs.uk/iquit which also contains information on how to make use of the wide range of other support services available in order to kick the smoking habit for good.