Mayor launches stop smoking campaign with visit to Royal London Hospital

The mayor of Tower Hamlets has kickstarted a borough-wide stop smoking campaign.

Mayor John Biggs with Doctor Ian Basnett, director of public health at Barts Health and advisors from Quit Right and Barts Health. Picture: Tower Hamlets Council - Credit: Archant

On Monday, John Biggs launched the campaign with a visit to a stop smoking session at the Royal London Hospital.

Tower Hamlets has one of the highest rates of smoking in the country, and the latest campaign is hoped to encourage residents to make a fresh start for the new year.

Nearly a fifth of the borough smokes, compared to a national average of 14.9 per cent, despite 400 people quitting in the last three months of 2018.

Mayor John Biggs said: “As a council we support our residents to make healthier choices by getting support from specialist advisors who provide a range of options to quit tobacco.

John Biggs visited a stop smoking session at the Royal London Hospital to launch the campaign. Picture: Tower Hamlets Council - Credit: Archant

“If your New Year’s resolution is to quit smoking or chewing tobacco, there are fantastic free local services that can help you achieve your goal.”

Residents are being advised to visit a Quit Right Tower Hamlets drop-in clinic to help them kick the habit, or call them on 020 7882 8230 for advice.