Campaign to quit parents' smoking

14 September 2009 12:05am

A hard-hitting campaign aimed at encouraging parents to stop smoking has been launched.

Targeted specifically at adults, the adverts feature young children issuing poignant pleas to their mums and dads to give up smoking before the habit kills them.

The Department of Health campaign is unusual as it features real children whose parents smoke.

The advert launch coincides with research revealing a new "smokefree" generation of children claim they would never try a cigarette.

Gillian Merron, Public Health Minister said: "We understand how difficult it is to stop smoking.

"I hope this new campaign will give mums and dads the encouragement they need to realise they can do it with help from the NHS, and support from their children.

"You are four times more likely to quit if you use the free NHS stop smoking service. The facts are clear - every week 2,000 people die from smoking-related diseases, which has a devastating effect on children's lives."

The research conducted on behalf of NHS Stop Smoking Services, polled 1,000 children in England aged 8-13.

Key findings revealed 96% of children questioned who had a parent who smokes wish they would quit.

Nine out of 10 children said they have never tried a cigarette, with 91% of these believing that they will never try one.

© The Press Association