Recession sparks fall-off in smokers quitting

SMOKERS in the UK are putting off quitting because they are stressed out by the economic downturn, according to a report released yesterday.

With British people worrying about their job security, paying their bills and putting food on the table, almost a quarter of smokers (23%) said they are delaying plans to kick the habit and 28% of them believe they have been too stressed to make a successful attempt to quit in the last six months.

Jennifer Percival, tobacco policy adviser at the Royal College of Nursing, London, said: “This study shows that over two million people are delaying quit plans and exposing themselves to the harmful effects of smoking for longer than they need to.