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The MOD provides free patches, gum and other cessation services to Service personnel who want to quit smoking and units across the country will be holding events to raise the profile of the day and provide support and advice for those who want to stub out their cravings.
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.
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.
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