Helping staff quit smoking can save you money, businesses are told

The figure was given at a workshop in Lagan Valley Island about the benefits of helping their staff give up the tobacco habit.

Representatives from the Public Health Agency, Lisburn City Council, the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust and the Ulster Cancer Foundation made presentations to the businesses on the economic benefits.

Speaking after the event the Deputy Mayor, Alderman William Leathem, said: “We all know smoking is bad for our health. The realities of the cost to businesses were also explored at the workshop, and a business can save £1700 per year by helping just one of its staff to give up smoking.

“Smoking is of course addictive and the facts are that many people cannot afford to smoke, yet they cannot or do not wish to stop. By stopping smoking the health benefits are both of a short term and long term nature.

“We were informed that after a period of cessation an individual is three times less likely to have a heart attack, four times less likely to have a stroke and two times less likely to develop diabetes.

“The cost too is phenomenal. A person smoking 20 cigarettes a day will be around £2,200 out of pocket in one year. That is serious money. Taking aside views on whether smoking is anti-social or not, because that’s an individual person’s opinion which they are entitled to hold, the clear health-related side effects can’t be ignored.

“Speakers at the workshop told us that 10,000 deaths per year relate to smoking. That’s the equivalent of 18 Jumbo Jets filled with people. When it’s put like that, smoking-related death figures are simply shocking.

“There is help through clinics and being able to talk to someone from the Trust, the Ulster Cancer Foundation and through the Northern Ireland Smokers Helpline on 0808 812 8008 for those who need it. There is also support for businesses.

“After 48 hours of stopping smoking there is no nicotine left in the body. Of course it is tremendously difficult to stop and the real crux of the matter is probably that a person needs to want to stop to be successful and to seek help because there is a lot of help out there,” concluded Mr Leathem.

Alderman Leathem also thanked the agencies and people who made the workshop so successful.