SMOKERS in York and North Yorkshire are being encouraged to kick the habit as a part of national No Smoking Day today.

Help and information is being made available throughout the region for those who have decided to make today the day they quit the habit.

Poppleton mother-of-two Victoria Atkins, 36, said she was giving up today after smoking since she was a teenager.

She said: “I am diabetic so there’s the health issue and I also promised my kids I would give up because they don’t like it. There’s also the cost; I was spending about £35 each week on cigarettes. I was basically going to work to pay for smoking.”

Mrs Atkins said she was fearing the cravings which come with giving up, but said she had a supply of nicotine patches at the ready to help her through.

At York Hospital, help will be on hand in the in the main entrance and the canteen from 10am to 4pm, where NHS experts will be offering free carbon monoxide breath tests and offering help and advice on services for those who want to stop smoking.

With more than half of North Yorkshire smokers blaming a lack of support and motivation to give up, a Selby pharmacy is offering free health checks and quitting plans throughout today.

Alex Crewe, of Arc Pharmacy in Scott Road, Selby, said all smokers needed to do was walk in to get all the help and encouragement they needed.

He said: “We know it’s a difficult process so we’re here to offer ongoing support for as long as the patient needs it.

“They will get a private consultation where we will plan how to tackle their habit realistically.

“We’ll also give lung function, blood pressure and cholesterol checks which can be followed up to help chart improvement over time, and information on the best nicotine replacement therapy to suit their needs.”

For information on giving up smoking go to nosmokingday.org.uk or visit nhs.uk/livewell/smoking/Pages/stopsmokingnewhome.aspx