Study: The majority of smokers who cut back have now quit completely
By Lucy Quinton
Smokers who decide to cut back on the cigarettes they smoke are likely to quit completely, according to research from the University of Vermont, in the US.
The research involved 19 people, of which 16 kicked the habit entirely. The success of quitting was attributed to the aid of nicotine replacement products.
John Hughes, professor of psychiatry at the University of Vermont and lead author of the report, said: "Our review contradicts the commonly held belief that quitting requires stopping abruptly and provides evidence that smokers can quit successfully by reducing the amount of cigarettes they smoke."
The findings came at the same time as the Government announced that smoking in public places is set to be prohibited from 1 July this year.
The ban covers virtually all enclosed places, such as offices, factories, pubs and bars, but it will not affect smoking outdoors or in private homes. Restaurants will also be required to display "no smoking" signs in prominent positions.
According to health secretary Patricia Hewitt: "The scientific and medical evidence is clear - second-hand smoke kills, causing a range of serious medical conditions including lung cancer, heart disease, and sudden infant death syndrome."
The Government has predicted around 600,000 people will give up smoking as a result of the law change.
Commenting on this, Cam Nichols, sales support and development manager at Axa, said the firm welcomed any move that would encourage healthy living, adding: "For our part, when it comes to underwriting, we try to reward people who lead healthy, active lives with lower premiums. To help us do this, when people apply for one of our policies, we ask them about their age, gender, height and weight, which helps to determine their body mass index, and whether they smoke. Therefore, non-smokers can benefit from lower premiums."
The ban in July was welcomed by people like Helena Shovelton, chief executive at the British Lung Foundation, who said it would reduce the death toll linked to smoking and that tens of thousands of people with lung disease would once again be able to visit pubs and restaurants.
This move follows similar bans in Scotland, which came into force last March; and in the Republic of Ireland, which has stubbed out smoking since March 2004. The ban in Wales is set to come into effect on 2 April at the same time as in Northern Ireland.
