SMOKERS in York are being urged to quit as part of Stoptober.

City of York Council is supporting this year’s national quit smoking campaign and is urging residents to sign up to the 28-day stop smoking challenge.

It is estimated that smoking in York costs society approximately £42.1mand smoking breaks cost city businesses a further £17m annually.

Local businesses also lose approximately 35,724 days of productivity every year due to smoking-related sick days. This costs approximately £3m and the total annual cost to NHS Trusts in York as a direct result of smoking-related ill health is approximately £6m.

Passive smoking in York impacts on the health of non-smokers in York costing the local healthcare system a further £783,000 every year

City of York Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Community Engagement, Cllr Linsay Cunningham-Cross, said: “We want every smoker in York to consider making a quit attempt this October and join the thousands of people who are feeling the benefits from stopping smoking last year.”

For more information about Stoptober and the North Yorkshire and York NHS Stop Smoking Service telephone 0300 303 1603.