The College is committed to creating a healthy and safe working environment for staff, students and visitors and, therefore, recognises the right of all staff and students to work in a smoke free environment. It has operated for a number of years a policy of no smoking within most areas of its academic and administrative buildings in order to ensure, as far as is possible, that everyone is protected from the dangers of smoke.
The following document relates to smoking on College premises:
Quit..........for the health of it!
If you are a smoker and you have taken the decision to improve your health and well being, stopping smoking is the obvious place to start. Smokers usually know all the facts about the downside of smoking; smoking is the biggest cause of illness and death in Britain today, smoking shortens lives and also causes serious health problems.
The good news is that it is never too late to stop smoking and almost as soon as you do stop, the health benefits will begin. If you have smoked all your life it is still worth stopping as you will reduce your risk of you or your family contracting one of the many fatal diseases that smoking causes.
The health benefits of quitting are:
FInd out how quickly you'll notice the benefits of quitting:
- 20 minutes: Blood pressure and pulse rate return to normal.
- 24 hours: Nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in blood reduced by half, oxygen levels return to normal.
- 48 hours: There is no nicotine in the body. Ability to taste and smell is greatly improved.
- 72 hours: Breathing becomes easier. Bronchial tubes begin to relax and energy levels increase.
- 2-12 weeks: Your circulation improves.
- 3-9 months: Coughing, wheezing and breathing problems improve as lung function increases by up to10%.
- 5 years: Risk of heart attack falls to about half compared to a person who is still smoking.
- 10 years: Risk of lung cancer falls to half of that of a smoker. Risk of heart attack falls to the same as someone who has never smoked.
*The above figures are taken from NHS SmokeFree: http://smokefree.nhs.uk/why-quit/timeline/
Where can I get help and support?
Every smoker has a different approach to quitting and different requirements for support. Not all methods work for each smoker however there are some methods which can help many people.
You don't have to go it alone. Get free help from your local NHS Stop Smoking Adviser and you'll be four times more likely to successfully stop smoking than by willpower alone. You can work with a trained adviser alone or in a group. Your adviser will give you advice about Nicotine Replacement Therapy and other stop smoking aids available on prescription.
There are also lots of useful tools on NHS website that can help you get started on your journey towards becoming smokefree. See the following links for more information:
Stop smoking - practical, quick and simple steps you can take NOW to quit successfully
Smoke Free - advice to help you stop smoking