A HEALTHIER lifestyle and a healthier bank balance are the rewards on offer for smokers who take up the challenge to kick the habit next week.With this year's No Smoking Day on March 13, Suffolk Coastal council is its offering residents help to stub out their last cigarette.

A HEALTHIER lifestyle and a healthier bank balance are the rewards on offer for smokers who take up the challenge to kick the habit next week.

With this year's No Smoking Day on March 13, Suffolk Coastal council is its offering residents help to stub out their last cigarette.

It is estimated that 70 per cent of the nation's 13 million smokers want to give up, and that smoking is related to one in five of deaths in Britain.

"Smoking kills 120,000 people a year and is the biggest cause of lung cancer," said Patricia O'Brien, cabinet member for health. "It also causes heart disease, stroke, chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

"A priority in Suffolk Coastal's health improvement programme is to identify initiatives that will help to reduce heart disease. Campaigns such as No Smoking Day provide the opportunity to promote useful information for smokers who want to stop.

"No-one pretends that stopping smoking is easy, but the long term rewards are a healthier life, and a healthier bank balance."

A 20-cigarettes-a-day smoker would also be £1,500 a year better off.

WEBLINKS:

www.givingupsmoking.co.uk

www.suffolkcoastal.gov.uk