A new anti-smoking appeal is urging those thinking of quitting to get free help from chemists through a new scheme.

Richard Crick, healthy lifestyles service manager at Live Well Suffolk, urged smokers to take advantage of the free help and advice the Suffolk County Council and NHS partnership is offering.

More than 100 pharmacies in Suffolk have signed up to the “Quitting is only a few steps away” campaign. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in Suffolk, with nearly one in five adults smoking.

It is estimated that half of those will die prematurely as a result of their habit.

Mr Crick said people smoking 20 cigarettes a day on average would save £2,500 if they decided to quit today.

He said: “There is a lot of free help and advice available to smokers who want to give up, but so many people don’t know it is out there. For example, most people have a pharmacy near to where they live or work, but they don’t realise that pharmacists can provide them with advice and guidance on a really wide range of health matters, including giving up smoking. “Pharmacies line the high street and a lot of the big supermarkets have their own in-house pharmacies now, so they are a really convenient, quick and easy way for people to get honest, practical advice about the best quitting options for them. GPs can also help people who want to give up smoking.”

For more, call 01473 229292 or visit www.livewellsuffolk.org.uk/quit