SMOKE ALARM
Doc’s warning as he reveals one in five Irish still puffing away
Too many of us still on the smokes ONE in five Irish people over the age of 15 is still puffing away, a health expert warned yesterday.
Dr Paul Kavanagh, an advisor with the HSE’S Quit programme, said the number of people smoking jumps to one in three among 25 to 34 year-olds.
He told RTE’S Morning Ireland: “There has been a reduction in the number of people in the population who smoke compared to 20 years ago.
“We have made good progress through taxation, legislation, public communications, but I suppose smoking and the grip tobacco has had on the population certainly does take time for us to make real inroads with.
“That is what we are very much committed to doing.”
Dr Kavanagh said a large number of people try to kick the habit in the New Year and offered some advice on how to go about it.
He added: “There’s about half a million quit attempts in Ireland each year, and unfortunately one in two people go it alone, they go cold turkey.
“The HSE were able to offer free, accessible and effective support services across the country. They’re available online, over the telephone and face-to-face. Those services work compared with going cold turkey. People who use those services can increase their odds of becoming smoke free by twofold.
“People who use medication to support their quit attempt, something like a stop smoking medication or nicotine replacement therapy, they can increase their odds of becoming smoke free by three, four-fold.”
Dr Kavanagh said someone who smokes 10 to 20 cigarettes a day spends €2,000 to €4,000 a year.