NHS Lanarkshire stubs out smoking

Good work lands national award

NHS Lanarkshire has received a national award for its work to tackle the harm caused by smoking.

The health board received a Tobacco-free Generation Award in recognition of its efforts to get locals to ditch the cigarettes.

It has adopted the six principles from ASH Scotland’s Charter for a tobacco-free generation, which aims to see less than five per cent of the population smoking by 2034.

Gabe Docherty, NHS Lanarkshire interim director of public health, said: “I’m delighted we have received this award and been recognised for our efforts to tackle the harm caused by tobacco and raise awareness of the impact of second-hand smoke on children and young people. As a health-promoting organisation, we have a duty of care to protect the health of people in Lanarkshire and promote positive health behaviours.

“This is why so much of our work focuses on the key charter principles of encouraging others to support every child to be free from the harmful effects of tobacco, ensuring children can play, learn and socialise in places free from tobacco, have access to effective education and be offered support to become tobacco free.

“We’re also delighted that so many local organisations support us in the pursuit of a tobacco-free generation.”

NHS Lanarkshire has been successful in encouraging local organisations, schools and workplaces to pledge their own actions to help reach the 2034 tobacco-free target.

ASH Scotland chief executive Sheila Duffy, who presented the award, said: “ASH Scotland launched the charter to help raise awareness of and deliver the worthwhile vision for putting smoking out of fashion for the next generation. The response to the charter has been excellent.

“The awards celebrate some of the positive actions supporters are delivering to help to ensure that children who are in nursery now become the first generation to grow up without the health impact and financial costs of smoking.”

For smokers who want to stop, help is available via the NHS Lanarkshire stop smoking service http://www. nhslanarkshire.org.uk/Services/ StopSmoking/Pages/default.aspx