A public campaign to quit smoking in the New Year is being launched at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel to urge 46,000 East Enders to kick the habit.

East London Advertiser: Campaign launched a year ago at the Royal London to quit smoking. Picture: Barts NHS TrustCampaign launched a year ago at the Royal London to quit smoking. Picture: Barts NHS Trust (Image: Barts NHS Trust)

The East End has one of the highest rates of smokers in the country where one-in-five adults indulge, a third more than the national average.

So the mayor of Tower Hamlets is launching the campaign on the first Monday of the New Year at the hospital, while the council is also running advice sessions between January 2 and 10 at venues in Stepney Green, Whitechapel, Canary Wharf and Bow.

“New Year resolutions should be to quit smoking or chewing tobacco,” John Biggs urged. “We’re helping people to make healthier choices for 2019.”

Chewing tobacco is also common among the East End’s Bangladeshi community, particularly women.

East London Advertiser: Swicth to vaping if you can't give up smoking easily, is the advice from Tower Hamlets Council. Picture: Carmen Valino/LBTHSwicth to vaping if you can't give up smoking easily, is the advice from Tower Hamlets Council. Picture: Carmen Valino/LBTH (Image: Carmen Valino/LBTH)

Information is being given on nicotine addiction therapy, to help eradicate preventable and life-threatening conditions such as heart disease, stroke and lung cancer, as well as respiratory, flu and bad dental conditions.

The council has helped 400 people quit in the past three months alone. Now it is running nine open sessions to encourage the rest to switch to healthier living:

Jan 2, 3 and 4: Open house at 2 Stayners Road, Stepney Green, 2.30-4pm.

Jan 7: Launch of ‘stop smoking’ campaign at the Royal London (Stepney Way entrance), 11am-4pm.

Jan 8: Pure Gym, 5 Hertsmere Road, Canary Wharf, 12-2pm.

Jan 9: Canary Wharf Idea Store, Churchill Place, 11am-3pm, and at Chrisp Street Idea Store, 185 East India Dock Road, Poplar, 12-1.15pm.

Jan 10: Bow Idea Store, Roman Road Market, 10am-12.30pm, at Watney Market Idea Store, 260 Commercial Road, 3-4pm, and at Whitechapel Sainsbury’s, 1 Cambridge Heath Road, 10am-3pm.