Last updated 12:08, Monday, 08 September 2008

MORE than 2,200 people across Cumbria managed to give up smoking with help from the NHS last year.

The NHS data looked at people who managed to stop smoking through their local NHS service in 2007/08.

In Cumbria, 2,270 smokers managed to quit successfully, with more than 3,566 setting a quit date.

Around two-thirds of people who sought help from the NHS in Cumbria to stop smoking, gave up the habit – one of the highest figures in the North West and better than the 53 per cent national average.

Cathy Wynne, associate director of public health partnerships at NHS Cumbria, said: “It is really encouraging that so many people in Cumbria have gone smokefree.

“These figures show that last year, more than 2,200 smokers in Cumbria quit with the free help and advice provided by the NHS.”

Research shows that smokers are up to four times more likely to successfully stop smoking if they use their local NHS stop smoking service together with nicotine replacement therapy, than they are if they use willpower alone.

The NHS Cumbria stop smoking service can be contacted on 01900 324222.