Latest figures from Public Health England show that Enfield has fewer smokers than ever before – there are now over 5,000 fewer smokers in Enfield than there were in 2013.
Cllr Nneka Keazor, Enfield Council’s Cabinet member for Public Health & Sport, said: “This is testament to the work of many people in the borough to improve the health of everyone; smoking is the greatest cause of death and disease in the borough and the fewer people who smoke the healthier our borough will be.
“This will also help to reduce the burden on our health services – approximately 400 people die from smoking in Enfield each year and for every person who dies there are 21 people with smoking related illnesses.
This reinforces earlier data showing that Enfield has the lowest rate of 15 year olds smoking in the country and indicates that smoking is becoming less and less acceptable throughout the borough.
Cllr Keazor said: “There is only one message about smoking and that is not to start or, if you do smoke to stop. Enfield Council’s recent work in asking people not to smoke outside school gates emphasised that smoking in front of children gives them completely the wrong message but also that smoking ruin your health as well as your finance and looks. I wholeheartedly welcome these figures and look forward to further decreases in smoking rates in the future.“
If anyone would like to stop smoking they are advised to contact the Enfield Free Stop Smoking Service on 0800 652 8405 or http://www.quitsmoking.uk.com/
The figures come as Enfield Council’s Trading Standards team working with Peterborough Trading Standards and Cambridgeshire Constabulary raided an address in Peterborough and seized 9,000 counterfeit cigarettes after it was linked with an Enfield address earlier in the year.
Following further enquiries, an entry warrant was executed and the suspect was arrested for offences under The Trade Mark Act and Consumer Protection Act.