THE eight directors of public health in Merseyside and Cheshire last night spoke of the unique opportunity smokers have to quit the habit on Sunday. From July 1, people across England will be able to breathe air free from tobacco smoke in virtually all enclosed public places including offices, factories, pubs and bars, thanks to the landmark change in the law agreed by Parliament last summer. Officials at the Roy Castle Lung Cancer foundation in Liverpool described the legislation as the most important for public health since the formation of the NHS in 1948. Their words came as Roy Castle’s widow Fiona spoke of her pleasure at the imminent ban, after his death led to the setting-up of the foundation. The Health Act 2006 also sees the age at which tobacco products can be bought raised from 16 to 18 on October 1. “This is a unique opportunity for every smoker in Cheshire and Merseyside to quit for good,” said Marie Armitage, chair of ChaMPs public health network’s directors of public health group, which covers the two counties. “From Sunday, smokers won’t just have the support of family and friends to stop smoking but the whole of England, too, as public places across the nation quit the habit.” Research already shows the day England goes smoke-free is making smokers think again, with 53% anticipating they will be encouraged or helped to give up. “Giving up is the best thing smokers can do for their own health and those around them,” said Ms Armitage, who is also joint director of public health for Wirral. “Second-hand smoke – or passive smoking – puts non-smokers at risk of developing the same diseases as smokers. For example, a non-smoker has a 25% increased risk of developing heart disease and lung cancer if they share a home with a smoker. “Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body, causing many diseases, and reduces people’s quality of life and life expectancy. In fact, half of all the teenagers who currently smoke will die eventually from diseases caused by tobacco if they continue to smoke.” Ms Armitage added: “More than 12m people in the UK are ex-smokers and there is no better time to quit than on Sunday.” The smoke ban is the biggest effort ever to reduce the number of adults who smoke from the current 10m, and address the health problems caused for countless more by second-hand smoke. Each day this week, the Daily Post will look at how the city’s businesses, venues, health professionals and smokers are preparing for the ban. One woman who knows the deadly effects of passive smoking more than most is Fiona Castle, widow of entertainer Roy Castle, who died of lung cancer in 1994. She said: “We have come a long way since the day 15 years ago, when Roy was diagnosed with lung cancer through passive smoking. “No one believed what the specialists had told him – that his kind of lung cancer was only found in smokers, therefore it had to have been caused through breathing in other people's smoke. “Now it is an established fact, the thrilling outcome being that England will go Smoke Free in public places on July 1. Hooray!” Roy Castle’s death led to the establishment of the only charity in the UK wholly dedicated to defeating the disease. The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation (RCLCF) was established with the help of thoracic surgeon Ray Donnelly and with the money raised from Roy’s Tour of Hope, undertaken in the last year of his life, the Roy Castle International Centre for Lung Cancer Research was built in Liverpool. Christine Owens, head of tobacco control at RCLCF, said: “This is the most important piece of public health legislation since 1948, and it will save thousands of lives in the decades to come. “It will also play an important part in reducing the prevalence of smoking in our society and thus result in reduced numbers of people smoking in the future.” After initial resistance, the prospect of a total ban appears to have become more acceptable to the public. Department of Health research from 2006 showed that of 1,200 individuals questioned, 77% of people agree with the legislation, with 53% showing strong support, but 15% said they were against it. Liverpool initially brought its own campaign and private Bill to try to secure a smoke-free environment led by the publicly-backed Smoke-Free Liverpool campaign. Director Andrea Crossfield said: “Both the public and employers really support this legislation. The legislation will protect the vast majority of workers wherever they work and will be welcomed by people across the city. 1000’s of lives over the decades to come will be saved as a result of the legislation.” Chair of Liverpool Primary Care Trust, Gideon Ben-Tovim said: “The legislation is a fantastic opportunity for people who are thinking of stopping smoking to give it another go, combined with the PCT service of free support from Fagends on 0800 195 2131.” THE NHS offers free local support across Merseyside and Cheshire. To find out more visit www.gosmokefree.co.uk and use the search function to find your local smoke-free service or call the free NHS helpline on 0800 169 0 169. Former TV host joins Castle’s son for ‘Dedication’ ring tone TO MARK the introduction of the smoking ban, the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation is attempting to secure a record of its own in his memory by reaching a target of 100,000 people quitting on the first day of the ban. Long-time co-host of Record Breakers, Cheryl Baker, has collaborated with son Ben Castle, a respected saxophonist himself, on a mobile ring tone of Roy’s signature tune "Dedication", available to smokers who feel they need some motivation. She said: "I was thrilled when the foundation asked me support this exciting and important 'Record Breaker' Attempt to Quit Smoking. "It was 20 years ago when I used to co-present Record Breakers with my late, dear, friend Roy Castle. "He died from lung cancer due to passive smoking and many would say that it was Roy who first brought the risks of second-hand smoke to the attention of the general public. I cannot think of a more fitting testimony to Roy for the charity that has his name to be encouraging all those people who want to quit smoking when the smoking ban in public places comes into effect on July 1st." "I wish every individual and the charity the best of luck in this important health initiative that could save thousands of lives." A spokesman for RCLCF said: "Ben Castle, Roy Castle’s son, is an excellent saxophone player, and when we approached him to get involved and play the tune with Cheryl Baker, he was very keen." For more details about I Quit visit www.roycastle.org Royal Mail among leading employers in drive to quit SOME Merseyside employers have gone the extra mile to encourage staff to kick the habit. The Royal Mail’s main Liverpool centre in Copperas Hill is among the organisations to have benefited from help offered by the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation. Earlier this year, with the impending ban in mind, the mail centre approached the foundation and organised a series of stop-smoking workshops for staff. Over the course of a 12-week programme, staff were allowed to take time out of their working day to attend special sessions, provided in-house by counsellors from the foundation. Each Tuesday, there were three drop-in sessions, one held during each of three shifts – morning, afternoon and night – worked at the mail centre. Workers were given free support and advice on giving up smoking and were offered smoking cessation aids such as pills and patches. Operations manager at the Copperas Hill centre, Sheena Tolan, said: "I know how hard it is to give up smoking. I was a smoker myself until around 10 years ago when I managed to give up by using patches." Ms Tolan, who has worked with the Royal Mail for over 12 years, wanted to educate staff – "especially some of the die-hard smokers" – about the ban and help them quit. She said: "Obviously, not every smoker wants to give up and we’re not trying to make them – it is a personal choice. But come July they won’t be able to smoke on the premises, and some of them will find it hard to adjust. "The main idea behind the stop- smoking programme was to offer education, support and advice to staff who smoke. "When I heard about the ban, I approached the Roy Castle Foundation and they were incredibly helpful. They provided posters for me to put up around the office and flyers for staff. "We also set up the Tuesday sessions covering all shift patterns so every member of staff would have an opportunity to go along if they chose. "It’s been really popular and successful – it’s raised awareness of the ban and has also helped a number of staff in their attempts to give up. "The majority of our staff are looking forward to the ban as it will be a better work environment to work in. "WEven at the current time, we’ve places where people smoke and the smell lingers and drifts around." This can be unbearable for non-smokers, especially people with asthma." Any business interested in providing a service for employees shouldcan call the foundation on 0151 794 8829. Any individual who wants help to give up smoking can call freephone 0800 195 2131. Deadly ingredients of a lethal habit Cigarette smoke contains over 4000 chemicals, many of these are highly toxic and over 40 of them can cause cancer. They include: Hydrogen Cyanide – a highly poisonous gas used in execution chambers Carbon Monoxide – a poisonous gas found in car exhaust fumes Formaldehyde – used as disinfectant and embalming fluid Benzene – a toxic petrol additive and industrial solvent Methanol – a poisonous alcohol used in anti-freeze Polonium – a highly radioactive and toxic element Ammonia – a strong alkali used as a refrigerant Acetone – a solvent used in nail polish remover Nicotine – a nerve poison used in insecticide Radon – a carcinogenic radioactive gas Butane – a flammable gas used as fuel Toluene – an industrial solvent Arsenic – a common poison Tar – used in road surface DDT – a banned pesticide | 
