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Isle Of Wight To Spend £2.5m On Boosting Smokefree Services

More than £2.5 million will be spent on boosting stop smoking services on the Island as the Isle of Wight Council signs up to create a smokefree generation.

It is in line with the government’s plans to make smoking obsolete across the country with the money specifically allocated to increase smoking cessation and prevention services.

Figures from 2022 determined around 9.5 per cent of adults on the Islanders smoked, including approximately nine per cent of pregnant women.

The current services provided by Smokefree Island help more than 500 smokers quit each year and prevents children and young people from taking up the habit,

Speaking at the council’s cabinet meeting yesterday (Thursday), Simon Bryant, the Isle of Wight’s public health director, said there had been some complacency around smoking, with smokers not considering it a key health issue.

He said the money will help the council increase its services and signing up to the declaration shows “our really strong commitment”.

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