Smokers are to be targeted in a £1million initiative, the biggest-ever effort in the Bradford district to tackle death and illness caused by tobacco.

Nicotine replacement therapy will be available free for the first time to people from deprived areas of Bradford under the 'smoking cessation' programme being set up as part of the district's trailblazing Health Action Zone.

Specialist staff offering advice and help in people's homes will also be available in an effort to reduce smoking among the 70,000 adults estimated to be hooked on the habit in the area.

Nearly half of all deaths under 65 are linked to smoking which also leads to long-term chronic illness and is even a contributory factor in cot death.

Dr Sheila Webb, consultant in public health at Bradford Health Authority, said among the features of the programme would be a specialist service for patients who had particular problems giving up.

Family doctors would be able to refer people for help with on-going support and counselling and a walk-in clinic would also be set up.

Nicotine replacement therapy would be made available free for one week for the first time to people eligible for free prescriptions.

"The rationale behind that is there had to be a limit on how much free NRT they could give," she said.

"With a three-month course, if you give them a week free they should have reduced consumption of cigarettes to a point where they have cash available to spend on NRT instead.

"Smoking is the main factor in main causes of death like coronary health disease, stroke and lung cancer.

"If we could effectively do something about it in a co-ordinated way it would have the potential for a major impact on health."

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