Footballers and doctors urge millions of Brits to quit smoking in January – how to stick to your New Year’s resolution

FORMER footballers and doctors are urging millions of English smokers to quit this January.

Ex-England goalkeeper David James joined other former smokers in a campaign video to encourage the country’s 5.3million to stick to their New Year’s resolutions.

2

Sir Chris Whitty said “it’s never too late to stop” the deadly habit.

The Chief Medical Officer for England said: “Quitting will improve your health whatever your age and no matter how long you have smoked.

“Smoking causes many serious diseases that affect people throughout their lives. 

“Stopping people becoming addicted to smoking and helping those who have been addicted to quit are two of the most important measures we can take to improve health.”

Some 6.4million Brits aged 18 or over — 6.4 per cent — smoked cigarettes in 2022, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The habit is linked to a range of deadly conditions including cancer, heart disease and stroke.

The Government announced an ambition to be “smoke free” by 2030 in England and Wales, aiming to reduce the rate of smoking to less than 5 per cent.

Rishi Sunak said he hoped to create a smoke free generation by increasing the age of sale for cigarettes by one year every year.

The new NHS campaign is aiming to get all current smokers to quit for their own health and also to help ensure they don’t influence young people to pick up the habit.

James said: “I smoked for about 15 years and at the time, it was normal.

“My mum smoked, my friends smoked, it was around me.

“It didn’t take long for me to be hooked.

“Looking back, it had a huge impact on my health and performance at the time, I wish I never started. 

“My health, my children and my fans were huge motivators for me to quit — I didn’t want younger people to see me smoking and think it was okay.”