More than 230 smokers across Barking and Dagenham signed up to take part in Stoptober last month, the country’s 28-day mass quitting challenge.
They joined up to 215,000 people across the country, with latest official figures showing smoking rates across England to have fallen dramatically since the mid 1980s, from a third of the population in 1985 to less than a fifth now – 18 per cent.
Council leader Cllr Darren Rodwell said: “One of the main causes of ill-health is smoking and we’ve invested heavily in helping residents to give up and also in education in schools on the harms of smoking.
“The changes in legislation highlight the importance of being smoke-free and especially being smoke-free around the younger generation.”
The council’s Stop Smoking Service took the Stoptober roadshows around the borough during the whole of October.
The events were supported by the council’s volunteer Community Health Champions.
For help and support to stop smoking call 020 8724 8018 or 0800 043 3005, or email healthy.lifestyles@lbbd.gov.uk.
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