No Smoking Day is the UK's leading health campaign for smokers who want to stop and is now in its 26th year with the military having run their own No Smoking Days as part of the wider campaign for the last nine years.
The No Smoking Day campaign helps smokers who want to quit by creating a supportive environment for them and by highlighting the many sources of help and advice available, and every year more than a million people quit smoking on No Smoking Day.
In a review carried out over 2004-2007 by the Department of Health and MOD it was found that even in times of high operational tempo personnel want to give up and can be supported to give up smoking. The numbers of smokers in the MOD fell from 23% to 20.5% in this three-year period and there is clear evidence to suggest that two thirds of people who smoke would like to stop smoking.
Among those military units holding events today are Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in Cornwall where 'Big Cig' from the Redruth smoking cessation service is joining medics, dentists and doctors to visit workplaces and squadrons to promote the message and give out free advice leaflets and answer any questions to remind all smokers why giving up is so important.
The medical centre at RNAS Culdrose has in place an active smoking cessation clinic which produces excellent results. Specially trained staff run the service, providing nicotine replacement gum and patches and other advice free to servicemen and women to help them give up their cigarettes. Figures at Culdrose show that in 2008 33 per cent of smokers gave up successfully with the support of the Culdrose medical centre's smoking cessation service.
HMS Raleigh is also supporting No Smoking Day with a series of events which will be held throughout this week to encourage smokers to follow the theme of this year's No Smoking Day and take the first step to quit their habit.
The smoking cessation team from HMS Raleigh's medical and dental departments have been visiting the various training areas around the establishment in the lead up to No Smoking Day to raise the profile of the event and seek donations for the charity 'Cancer Research'.
They have also been accompanied by the 'Big Cig' (he gets about) who will be on hand to show Royal Navy personnel the damage smoking causes to their health.
Surgeon Commander James McIntosh, HMS Raleigh's Principal Medical Officer, said:
"No Smoking Day is all about raising the awareness of the negative health effects of smoking and pointing those who wish to stop in the direction of where they can get help. It is an ideal target date for those who wish to stop smoking.
"HMS Raleigh's medical centre has five smoking cessation advisers who are available to offer counselling and nicotine replacement therapies to Service personnel. We work in close conjunction with the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Health Authority to achieve this aim."
Today the Raleigh smoking cessation team will man support stalls set up centrally in the establishment. They will be available to provide information on smoking-related illnesses and the best way to approach the task of giving up smoking.
Staff at HMS Raleigh, which is also located in Cornwall, will also be invited to take part in a variety of competitions, including 'Spot the Cig', which will involve the 'Big Cig' posing at various locations within HMS Raleigh. The first person to ring up and confirm the sighting and location of the 'Big Cig' will win a prize.
Smoking rates across the Armed Forces vary. The Royal Navy at 19 per cent and RAF at 15 per cent are lower than the national average of 26 per cent. Although the Army at 29 per cent is slightly above the average, they are reducing on average at about one per cent a year.
The MOD is committed to helping those who wish to stop smoking to do so and provides free patches, gum and other cessation services to Service personnel who want to quit smoking. All Services have qualified smoking cessation advisers who are able to assist smokers who want to stop, offering counselling and nicotine replacement therapies.
These services can be accessed by approaching unit medical centres and health training staff. Unlike their civilian counterparts, who must pay prescription charges for treatment therapies, military personnel are not charged for the treatment therapies received.
Smoking is the UK's number one cause of avoidable premature death, and is linked to a range of serious and often fatal conditions. By stopping smoking the risk of developing lung cancer, other cancers, heart attacks, strokes and chronic lung disease is reduced - the sooner you stop smoking, the sooner your risk starts going down. Stopping smoking at any age increases your life expectancy, provided that you stop before the onset of serious disease.
Alongside the usual benefits of a smoke-free lifestyle, financially it is calculated that a 20-a-day smoker can save over £2,000 every year by stopping smoking.
The No Smoking Day campaign is organised by a charity of the same name supported by a coalition of governmental and voluntary sector organisations with an interest in health.
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