EFFORTS to cut the number of smokers in Winsford will be stepped up this year – with the town considered a hotspot for the habit.

It follows a ‘stop smoking summit’ held at Winsford Academy last October, where more than 50 people attended to help draw up a range of projects to tackle the issue.

According to a report presented to the Cheshire West health and wellbeing board on Wednesday, GP practices in Winsford have a higher proportion of smokers than GP practices in Northwich, and 73 per cent of the town’s smokers have at least one long-term health condition.

It also says that an estimated one in 10 youngsters in Winsford and Northwich aged between 13 and 17 years old are smokers – while the two towns have a higher percentage of women who smoke while pregnant compared to the rest of Cheshire West.

The report from Claire Glazzard, public health programme lead at Cheshire West and Chester Council, said: “The health risks from tobacco are well recognised.

“Those most likely to be smokers live in the borough’s more disadvantaged areas and tend to include people receiving benefits, the unemployed, routine and manual workers.

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“Smoking is the main driver of the difference in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy between those living in disadvantaged and advantaged areas.

“In addition, those who smoke often engage in other unhealthy behaviours.”

Following the summit, students at Winsford Academy – led by the school council – have launched the ‘Smoke Busters’ campaign and will carry out a survey to hear the views of smokers.

Workshops will take place in the school to coincide with Stop Smoking Day on Wednesday, March 11, while council-owned leisure company Brio has offered to take referrals of young smokers onto their 12-week programme.

GP practices are set to work together to improve the data they collect on smoking status, while it is hoped that an emphasis on treating smoking as an addiction will remove the stigma and help residents be more comfortable in finding support to quit.

The Old Star Pub is also set to host a peer support group for smokers, which could launch as soon as next month, and public health officers are set to work with the town’s businesses to help provide support for workers to quit the habit.

Following the summit, Swanlow GP Dr Jonathan Griffiths told the Guardian: “Tobacco is an addiction.

“It may have started as a lifestyle choice but many smokers now feel they don’t have any choice and can’t stop.

“We don’t want to make them feel guilty – only offer help.”