Derry Daily
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Sport
  • Features
  • Courts
  • Business
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Jobs
Wednesday 4°CThursday 5°C

Derry Daily Derry Daily Derry Daily

  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Sport
  • Features
  • Courts
  • Business
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Jobs
Healthhomepage-featuresNews

CALL TO WORKPLACES TO TAKE UP THE STOP SMOKING CHALLENGE

written by stephen September 9, 2014
ShareTweet

Stop SmokingBusinesses in Derry are being urged to take part in a new Northern Ireland-wide initiative to help support employees who want to stop smoking.

The “Workplace 28 day stop smoking challenge” will be launched on 1 October next by the Public Health Agency (PHA) and businesses being urged sign up to help employees who smoke to give up their habit.

Smoking is the single greatest cause of preventable illness, premature death and health inequality throughout the North.

Each year, around 2,300 people die prematurely from smoking-related illnesses such as coronary heart disease, stroke and many cancers.

Thirty-two per cent of routine and manual workers here smoke, and for many, smoke breaks are part of their daily routine at work. This makes the workplace the ideal setting for breaking their smoking habit.

Gerry Bleakney, Strategic Lead for Tobacco Control with the PHA, said helping employees to stop smoking not only benefited the individuals themselves, but also had a positive impact on the organisation as a whole as it helped to deliver better health in the workforce, increased productivity, improved staff morale and reduced absence due to sickness.

She added: “We want to encourage and support more routine and manual workers to stop smoking and are calling for businesses to work with us to make this happen.

“The challenge encourages smokers to give up smoking for 28 days, because research shows that if a person stops smoking for 28 days or more, they are five times more likely to stop for good.

“There is also a financial benefit for workers who stop smoking – with the cost of tobacco now at an all-time high, quitting a 20-a-day habit will deliver an average £2,920 a year saving, which is a nice addition to the pay packet and could pay for a great holiday or to clear bills.

“Registering your interest in participating as a business is easy – just visit www.want2stop.info, click on the ‘Workplace Challenge’ icon and follow the business registration link.

“The website is packed with information and resources regarding the challenge and contact details for our specialist stop smoking workplace advisers.

“Alternatively, if you do not wish to register as a business, you can still promote the challenge among your workforce and encourage individual smokers to register.

“There are more than 600 free stop smoking specialist services across Northern Ireland that they can avail of.”

For more information and useful tips to help you stop smoking, visit the PHA’s “Want 2 Stop” website at www.want2stop.info and order a “Quit Kit” free of charge.

Alternatively, contact the Smokers’ Helpline on 0808 812 8008.”

 

CALL TO WORKPLACES TO TAKE UP THE STOP SMOKING CHALLENGE was last modified: September 9th, 2014 by stephen
stephen

Tags:
authoritybusinesseshealthinitiativepublicsmokingstop
ShareTweet
stephen

LEAVE A COMMENT

You may also like

Eastwood: New US Administration provides hope and...

50 mins ago

Military to assist North’s hospitals in Covid...

1 hour ago

Mullan welcomes passing of landmark domestic abuse...

3 hours ago

22 more deaths, 905 further cases in...

3 hours ago

Eastwood supports artists and musicians EU visa...

4 hours ago

Phone First rolls out across Western Trust

5 hours ago

Durkan: Communities Minister must rethink Capita contract...

5 hours ago

Duffy: Emergency mental health delays existed pre-Covid

6 hours ago

McLaughlin calls for rigorous controls on employment...

7 hours ago

Jamie Dornan ‘in talks’ about Derry Girls...

7 hours ago

Keep in touch

Facebook Twitter Email

Features

  • DD Travel: Living like a local in Lixouri

    December 17, 2020
  • DD Travel: Kefalonia and her southern shores

    November 29, 2020
  • DD Travel: Kefalonia an Ionian discovery

    November 17, 2020
  • Lurgybrack Open Farm: The perfect place for family fun this Bank Holiday weekend

    July 10, 2019
  • DD Travel feature: Vibrant Verona

    May 2, 2019

Courts

  • Two arrested over Derry drugs seizure

    January 19, 2021
  • Kathleen Thompson: Ex-soldier seeks access to inquest evidence

    January 18, 2021
  • Man charged over police station hoax bomb call

    January 13, 2021
  • New Year’s Eve party: Derry duo in court

    January 2, 2021
  • Derry man for trial over alleged wedding rape

    December 27, 2020

Donegal Daily

  • Horror as dog found dumped in drain

    4 hours ago
  • Delay in opening of Letterkenny direct provision centre

    10 hours ago
  • Extra gardaí step up to the frontline in Donegal

    10 hours ago

Read More

  • News
  • Sport
  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Features
  • Business
  • Politics

Information

  • Contact Us
  • About
  • Advertise WIth Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions
Derry Daily

© 2021 Derry Daily. All rights reserved.


Back To Top