Stub it out now! - and beat the ban

In less than two monthsí time, a public smoking ban will come into force in Wales and Northern Ireland, with England following suit on July 1.

Smokers will no longer be able to light up at their local, after a meal or over a coffee.
For businesses, this ban will mean an uphill struggle to accommodate their staff and clientele, many of whom will find the transition hard to take.

In the light of general concern over how businesses will cope, Bedfont Scientific Ltd ñ a worldwide market leader in supporting smoking cessation programmes ñ is launching a new Stub It Out Nowô campaign, www.stubitoutnow.com quit smoking to support both smokers and the quit-smoking support services.

Working in conjunction with Smokerlyzer, a breath carbon monoxide monitor, the Stub It Out Now website will offer help and advice to individuals who want to take the ban as an incentive to conquer their addiction.

But the campaign will also offer guidance to agencies geared towards helping those who want to quit, with a section of the campaignís website www.stubitoutnow.com focusing on supporting health professionals with:

ï product information
ï special offers
ï resources and
ï the latest news and updates

In addition, a Want To Quit? Section on the website will direct courageous quitters to the many NHS services which exist to offer support.

Kent-based Bedfont Scientific is a key player in the manufacture of breath carbon monoxide monitors and its range of Smokerlyzer monitors are the most comprehensive and advanced on the market today. Clinical tests have proven that smokers are more successful at kicking the habit if a breath CO monitor is used in conjunction with their smoking cessation programme.

The companyís latest initiative comes in the wake of Scotlandís own ban last spring, after which stop-smoking services in Scotland reported massive increases in the number of smokers requesting help.

NHS Borders Smoking Cessation Service reported 1500 smokers wanting to quit between January and March í06, compared with 2000 for the whole of the previous 12 months.
Pharmacies also felt a positive impact, with Boots revealing in April that NRT (nicotine replacement therapy) sales in Scotland had doubled.

Bedfont Scientificís campaign ñ designed to show how breath carbon monoxide monitoring, which demonstrates the effect of smoke on the lungs, can assist stop-smoking services - aims to tackle the potential that exists for similar demand in the rest of the UK.

Bedfont director Trevor Smith said: ìThe Stub it Out Nowô campaign will provide great support for services by ensuring they are equipped with the latest technology while encouraging those wanting to quit to make contact with a health professional.î