Public Health England has released a new TV advert highlighting the dangers of tar in cigarettes, as England’s 7 million smokers are urged to make a quit attempt with help from Smokefree this New Year.
The latest campaign shows how poisons from tar in cigarettes enter the bloodstream, spreading around the body within seconds and causing damage to major organs.
To help explain the ongoing internal harm being caused, a group of seven lifelong smokers – including TV presenter and entrepreneur – Hilary Devey declare their intention to quit in January after seeing the results of a lab demonstration.
The test results show how their smoking has led to elevated levels of cadmium (a metal used in batteries), cancer-causing nitrosamines and carbon monoxide in their blood.
These toxic substances are amongst over 4,000 chemicals released into the body with each cigarette smoked, including more than 70 known cancer-causing compounds.
Elevated levels of these substances were seen in the participants’ blood and can lead to an increased risk of major damage to the body.
Exposure to cadmium for a long period of time is associated with an increased risk of damage to the kidneys and bones and may lead to lung cancer. Research has shown that if you regularly smoke 20 or more cigarettes a day, you are twice as likely to develop kidney cancer compared with a non-smoker.
Tobacco Specific Nitrosamines (TSNAs) are potent chemical compounds, many of which are carcinogenic (cancer-causing). They can cause DNA damage, cell death and are associated with cancers of the pancreas, mouth, respiratory and digestive tracts.
Carbon monoxide decreases the ability of the blood to carry oxygen and consequently puts a strain on the heart. Carbon monoxide is also associated with an increased risk of blood clots and coronary heart disease.
In the new film that supports the TV advert, Dr Dawn Harper, a GP from Gloucester, explains the results of the tests to the smokers and how the quality of their blood would start to improve when they quit – ridding them of harmful poisons which cause major damage to the body.
Dr Dawn advises the smokers that there are many ways to quit, including free proven support from NHS Smokefree. People can choose what works best for them: face-to-face help, stop smoking aids, a quitting app, email, social media, and SMS support. Find out more at: www.nhs.uk/smokefree
Dr Harper said: “I see the damaging effects of smoking in my surgery almost every day. Tar from cigarettes causes damage to major organs, the bones and increases your risk of a range of cancers and diseases. But, the good news is that no matter how long you’ve smoked, quitting can reduce your chances of developing cancer, heart and lung disease and other serious smoking related illnesses.
“Some of the benefits are almost immediate, with improved energy and breathing within a matter of days.
“I know how difficult it is to stop but the important thing is to commit to trying again, no matter how many times you might have tried and failed in the past – it’s never too late.”
Mark is 58 and lives in Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset. He started smoking at 12 and quickly progressed to buying packs of 10 – then 20 – cigarettes a day with his pocket money.
He found himself becoming a regular smoker, buying rolling tobacco because it was cheaper, and smoked every day for 44 years.
A few years ago Mark started to think about the damage that smoking was doing to his body, and how he wanted to keep playing football and be around to share his life with his family. Mark’s first quit attempt in 2014 was unsuccessful but he was determined to give it another go – and when he received a call from Debbie Stone from Smokefree North Somerset in 2014, it gave him the impetus to try again.
He stopped smoking completely, using nicotine patches, and over 12 weeks managed to beat the cravings. He’s been smokefree for two years and never wants to smoke again.
Mark said: “If you want to experience life for what it is, don’t smoke. It robs you of so much – the fact that when you’re with others and they can smell it, it puts people off you, reduces your capacity to live a healthy life and causes lots of long term breathing problems.
“I can look back now and say thank goodness I don’t wake up in the morning, smelling like an ash tray. The local help I got from Debbie was invaluable and I’d recommend anyone thinking of giving up to access the help that is available locally.”
Smokefree provides motivation, information and support for smokers who want to stop. Just search ‘Smokefree’ for free support and advice to help you quit smoking.
