News.Scotland.Org

Scotland, Dec 29: As an attempt to help the smokers to get rid of the habit the pharmacists are all set to conduce one-to-one counselling at Lothian pharmacies. As part of this initiative pharmacists will prescribe nicotine replacement therapy without doctor’s appointment along with 12 weeks long personal support. Researches also shed light on the fact that it is easy to quit the habit of smoking effectively with the help of professionals than with the individual initiative. This proposal will be extended to nearly 40 pharmacies located in all four local authorities.

NHS Lothian’s smoking cessation coordinator, Fiona Moore said: “New Year is the apt time where people plan for their next course of action and resolve to change things in abetter way. Forgetting the smoke habit is an effective way to improve your health. Studies show that it will be four times effective if the smokers receive support along with nicotine replacement therapy. Trying to stop this habit by your own initiative will not bring in effective result.”

Earlier NHS Lothian organised a four year long initiative budgeted at £1.2 million and it included 28,000 smokers in the region to get rid of the habit. The health departments across Scotland were advised to restrict the number of smokers in their area. While NHS Lothian expects to reduce its addicts level by 17 per cent and the number will decrease from 166300 to 138000 by the year 2010. When a smoker gets admitted to any Lothian hospital a dedicated member of staff will approach him and guide him throughout the course of the treatment.

This new initiative is intended to encourage the number of people using NHS Lothian’s anti-smoking services. It is expected to bear fruit in the near future. The initiative put forth by the pharmacist was appreciated by anti-smoking group ASH Scotland.

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