Tower Hamlets Council has teamed up with the NHS to help the borough’s residents quit smoking on No Smoking Day, March 12.

Stop smoking advisors will be promoting the No Smoking Day campaign, providing advice, information and support on local stop smoking services.

No Smoking Day is one of the UK’s biggest health awareness campaigns, run by the British Heart Foundation. The annual campaign helps smokers who want to quit by creating a supportive environment and highlighting the many sources of help and advice available.

Dr Sam Everington, a local GP and chair of NHS Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: “By stopping smoking you reduce the chances of you – and the people around you who inhale your cigarette smoke – getting lung cancer, heart disease, stroke and other related illnesses.

“We’re keen to help people in Tower Hamlets to understand the dangers of smoking and to give people who want to quit the tools and support to do so. Giving up is hard, but it can be done. The important thing is to get started.”

Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman said: “Supporting residents to quit tobacco is a major priority of the council to help reduce health inequalities and improve the wellbeing of local people.”

Although smoking has decreased in Tower Hamlets, the borough continues to have among the highest levels of smoking and smokeless tobacco use in London with over 45,000 adults (24.5 per cent) compared to 21pc in London.

Stop by one of these locations on Wednesday for more information and advice:

Royal London Hospital main entrance, Whitechapel Road, from 9am – 4pm or Chrisp Street Market, Poplar, from 10am – 2pm

There are also ongoing, regular stop smoking drop-in sessions on a weekly basis. For more information on their locations and times visit: towerhamlets.gov.uk/gethealthy.

For more information on No Smoking Day visit: nosmokingday.org.uk/