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• Smoking:

What's so bad about smoking?

Smoking is one of the worst things you can do to your body. Yet every single day nearly 4,400 young people between the ages 12 and 17 start smoking.

Why? Some may start smoking just because they’re curious. Others may like the idea of doing something dangerous – something grown-ups don’t want them to do. Still others might have grown up around lots of people who smoke and they might think it’s the way to act like an adult.

You’ve probably heard that smoking and tobacco use can cause throat cancer, mouth cancer, bladder cancer, lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and heart disease.

That’s true, but sometimes people can’t really think that far into the future to worry about an illness they might not get for 20 years. So it’s worth knowing about the problems that might affect young people in the shorter term…

• bad breath
• yellow teeth
• makes your skin wrinkly
• smelly clothes
• more colds and coughs (and they last longer!)
• difficulty keeping up with friends when playing sports

• empty wallet – cigarettes and tobacco products are very expensive!

Links and Contact Details

Name: Stop Smoking Wales
Web: www.stopsmokingwales.com
Email:
Tel: 0800 085 2219 (free) SE Wales contact: 01495 332289
Info: Stop Smoking Wales offers free, friendly support for smokers who are ready to stop.

Name: Quit Because
Web: www.quitbecause.org.uk
Email: quit@quitbecause.org.uk
Tel: 0800 00 22 00
Info: Prevention and cessation service for young people aged 8-18 nationwide

Name: NHS Giving Up Smoking
Smoking Helpline: 0800 169 0 169 (every day, 7am-11pm)
Website: http://www.gosmokefree.co.uk/
Info: Online resource for all the advice, information and support you need to stop and stay stopped. Find your local NHS Stop Smoking Service by texting GIVE UP with your full postcode to 88088, or calling the helpline above.

Name: Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)
102 Clifton Street
London EC2A 4HW
Tel: 020 7739 5902 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm)
E-mail: enquiries@ash.org.uk
Website: www.ash.org.uk
Info: ASH is at the frontline of the anti-tobacco lobby. The site contains lots of information on the history and politics of the tobacco industry, plus more on health and giving up.

Name: QUIT
211 Old Street
London EC1V 9NR
Quitline: 0800 00 22 00 (Daily 9am-9pm)
E-mail: stopsmoking@quit.org.uk
Website: http://www.quit.org.uk/
Aims to reduce unnecessary suffering and death from smoking related diseases and to provide practical help, advice and support to all smokers who want to stop. Their website includes a guide to quitting smoking without putting on weight.

Name: BUPA health information – Stop Smoking
www.bupa.co.uk/health_information/
Info: Factsheet from BUPA on why you should give up smoking and details of the various methods that you can use to help you, including going ‘cold turkey’, using nicotine replacement products, Zyban and alternative therapies.

Name: No Smoking Day
http://www.nosmokingday.org.uk/
Info: All about No Smoking Day, plus sources of help.

Name: Nicorette
http://www.nicorette.co.uk/
Info: Features information about Nicorette products, a chat forum, desktop games and details of the Nicorette Fresh Start Complete Quitter’s Support programme.

Name: NiQuitin CQ
http://www.niquitin.co.uk/
Info: Website produced by SmithKline Beecham, the makers of NiQuitin CQ patches. Contains a range of information about the product, a chat board, a ‘bad day button’ and discusses why and how to use NiQuitin CQ patches to help quit smoking.

Frankandhonest.com is brought to you by ASK Education & Training Ltd. We provide training for young people and organisations working with young people. This site was created in response to countless requests from young people for a place to get answers.