Smokers urged to stub it out and help reduce the threat of dementia
Smokers in Sunderland are being encouraged to quit the habit – to reduce their risk of developing dementia.
No Smoking Day – March 8 – aims to highlight new research which shows fewer than one in five smokers in the North East are aware smoking is increasing their risk of developing dementia.
Anti-smoking group Fresh has joined up with psychiatrists at mental health experts in the region to press home the message that stopping smoking protects brain health as people age – in addition to causing a range of cancers, breathing problems and hart conditions.
Alzheimer's Research UK research shows dementia is the most feared health condition for people over the age of 55 and smoking puts people at a much higher risk of developing dementia:
Dr Charlotte Allan, lead consultant at the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust. said: “I don’t think many people are aware that smoking can increase the risk of dementia, but people certainly do worry about what it might be like to lose their memory, to need more support and to have to rely on others.
“When people smoke, the poisons in tobacco smoke circulate around the body, and these damage blood vessels and harm our brain over time and that increases the chance of dementia.”
She added: “Quitting smoking at any age is going to help your overall health and it’s going to help reduce the risk of dementia.”
Ailsa Rutter OBE, director of Fresh, said: “Brain health is something we can all relate to.
"Nobody wants to develop dementia or see their loved ones suffer so it’s important that people know it can be linked to smoking.
“Smoking remains one of our biggest causes of death, disease, hospital admissions and health inequalities and has killed 113,000 people in the region in the last 22 years.
“Lots of people have used No Smoking Day as a good time to give quitting a go.
"There are lots of things you can try including switching over completely to a vape/electronic cigarette and people are also more likely to quit for good if they get help from a specialist stop smoking service and use nicotine replacement products.”
For more information, go to www.freshquit.co.uk