313-Aspire

second-hand
smoking

Second-hand smoke kills

Welcome to Aspire
If you’re a smoker,
this magazine is for you.
It will start you thinking about
why you smoke and the potential
benefits of giving up.
To make you feel really inspired,
a group of ex-smokers reveal how
they kicked the habit.
The good news is that there’s
plenty of support available
if you decide to quit, too.
£2,550
aspire 3

4 aspire

It makes me look older
Smoking keeps me slim
Cigarettes relax me
I’m a social smoker
No. Any impression of relaxation is due to
nicotine levels returning to what your body
is used to. Nicotine is anything but relaxing –
it speeds up your heartbeat and raises your
blood pressure. If you’re feeling stressed, try
a warm bath or a walk instead. However, other
chemicals do a lot more harm, such as carbon
monoxide and tar.
I enjoy smoking
since the smoke-free
legislation, Scottish smokers
have made over 500,000 quit
attempts. Why not join them?
-

For men in their 30s and 40s,
smoking could increase the rate of
impotence by 50%. The habit can
also reduce sperm count and
cause testicular cancer. Don’t allow
yourself to become a statistic!
Pulse rate
can drop
1
day
Carbon
monoxide
levels return
to normal
Several
days
Nicotine
disappears from
the blood
Several
months

Give up cigarettes and say goodbye to a
dull, grey complexion. Smoking starves
the skin of oxygen and produces toxins.
It also ages you before your time, giving
you lines and wrinkles around the eyes
and mouth.
Thinking of starting a family? If so, stopping
smoking will help your fertility. It will increase
your chance of a heathy pregnancy and baby,
too. Sadly, smoking can cause miscarriage
and cot death (sudden infant death
syndrome), as well as cancer of the cervix.
Shortness
of breath
decreases
1
year
Lung function
improves
2–4
years
The risk
of a heart
attack falls
considerably
10
years
The risk of
lung cancer falls
considerably

Five easy steps to protect your
family from second-hand smoke
Make the decision to protect
your friends and family from
second-hand smoke, particularly
children and babies.
year 15,000 young
people start smoking in Scotland.
They’re more likely to if their
parents smoke.
second-hand smoke on others.
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Second-hand
smoke: the facts
Long-term exposure
to second-hand smoke
increases the risk of lung
cancer by 20–30% and
heart disease by 25–30%
among non-smokers.
Cot death (sudden
infant death syndrome)
is three times more likely
in babies whose mothers
smoke.
Exhaled smoke has smaller
particles, which means it
can penetrate deeper into
the lungs.
19% of children still live
in a household where
smoking takes place
indoors.
Among children, there are
more than 165,000 disease
incidences (new cases of
middle-ear disease, lower
respiratory tract infection
and asthma), almost
304,000 GP consultations
(mainly middle-ear disease
and repeated asthma
consultations), and around
9,500 hospital admissions
in the UK per year due to
second‐hand smoke.
85% of smoke is invisible
– so waving
it away won’t help.

Stop smoking, start saving – and
take a look at what you and your
family could do with that extra cash!
If you normally spend around £7 a
day on cigarettes, quit and you’ll
have over £200 in your pocket after
the first month. It soon adds up.
420
212.50

2,550
850
25,550
25 ’
550
Terence Monaghan, 35, sales assistant
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If you’re determined to quit,
then joining a group could
be your winning move.
Aspire went to Ayrshire
to talk to local adviser
Heather Gillespie and
some of the smokers
she’s helped. They
explain how it
all works.

What does your job involve?
I’ve been an adviser with Fresh Air-shire for three
years and before that I was a youth worker. On
Mondays I run a stop smoking group for adults in
Saltcoats. At the moment it’s the only night-time
group in north Ayrshire, so it gets very busy.
Can you describe a typical adviser?
They’re generally chatty and helpful, with plenty of
motivational tips. We’re there to listen – and to let
people know about all the support that’s available.
That’s why it’s important we’re trained in the latest
nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and other
treatments, such as Zyban and Champix.
What sort of products are there?
I ask people if they’ve ever tried NRT and run
through how it works. If they want to try patches or
gum. I give them a voucher for a week’s supply. The
next time I see them, I ask how they got on. Maybe
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You can double your chances of success by taking medication
(e.g. Zyban or Champix) or nicotine replacement therapy
(NRT). NRT provides a lower dose of nicotine than that
in cigarettes and without the other chemicals found
in cigarettes. All these products are available
on prescription – ask your GP or stop
smoking adviser for up-to-date
information.

I’ve smoked for years, so why stop now?
Will I put on weight if I quit?
page
see facing
Is NRT OK if I’m pregnant or breastfeeding?
see opposite
What about cutting down rather than quitting?
Cutting down does not have any
clear health benefits, and tends to
cause more and deeper inhalations
to get the same amount of nicotine.
Stopping smoking improves health
far more than continuing to
smoke, even at a reduced rate.
You are more likely to stay
stopped long term if you stop
completely on a target quit date,
with group or individual support
from a stop smoking adviser or
pharmacist, and quit completely
by using NRT, Zyban or Champix.
For further detail, read How to stop
smoking and stay stopped.

To find a stop
smoking service near you,
text QUIT to 83434 or call
Smokeline on 0800 84 84 84
(8.00 am to 10.00 pm). This free
helpline will tell you who to ring
to book an appointment, and
also offers confidential
advice on quitting.
Search the
online local directory at
www.canstopsmoking.com
for support in your area. The
site is also packed with useful
tips, plus interactive features
like webchat and a quit
calendar to help you
stay motivated.
Your doctor will
give brief advice about
quitting and can prescribe
stop smoking medication. Also,
they will most probably refer
you to your local stop smoking
service, as they know this
will give you the best
chance of success.
Most pharmacies
can also offer help with
quitting. They can either
offer one-to-one support
and free NRT, or smoking
medication on prescription.
Or, if you prefer, you can just
buy your NRT over the
counter.
Published by NHS Health Scotland
© NHS Health Scotland and ASH Scotland, 2011, 2012,
2013, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-84485-438-7
All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may
not be reproduced in whole or part without prior permission
of NHS Health Scotland (or other copyright owners). While
every effort is made to ensure that the information given
here is accurate, no legal responsibility is accepted for any
errors, omissions or misleading statements.
NHS Health Scotland is a WHO Collaborating Centre for
Health Promotion and Public Health Development.
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