'Some days are really hard, particularly if they are stressful, but I haven’t given in to the urge yet. “ Alison Higgins describes her second attempt to stop smoking. She managed to stop for 15 years but started again just over a year ago following two bereavements.

“One night, while putting my daughter to bed, I went to kiss her and she turned her head away saying she was sorry but she couldn’t kiss me because I smelled of cigarettes,” she says.

The medical secretary was alarmed and rang Airedale Hospital’s smoking cessation team. “I went to see them and was given invaluable, up-to-date information and excellent strategies to deal with – not just the physical aspects of smoking, but the mental and emotional attachment, too.”

Everybody has their own reasons for wanting to give up: possibly as part of a larger lifestyle change – to be healthier, to get fit or to save money. For others it is more about how their smoking affects the people around them – their family, friends and children. National No Smoking Day, on Wednesday, should act as a spur to some.

Smoking is one of the biggest preventable causes of premature death in the UK. It is linked to a range of serious and often fatal conditions including heart disease and lung cancer.

In Bradford, 21.5 per cent of adults smoke compared with 20 per cent in both Yorkshire and Humberside and nationally. Between 2009 and 2011 there were 766 smoking-related deaths among people aged over 35 in Bradford. Around two-thirds of smokers in the UK say they want to stop and 30 per cent are actively trying every year.

Alison managed to stop by taking part in the Quit Group at Airedale Hospital. “There was no pressure to stop by a certain date or to use a particular quit smoking product,” she says. “Now I’m still a non-smoker and feel the benefits every day.”

Hospital ward manager Catherine Bramley found success with the group after being “a pack a day” smoker for years. “They gave me the motivation, knowledge and a plan of action. I haven’t had a cigarette for almost four months and I feel great.”

Joanne Nykol, tobacco lead for public health at Bradford Council, says: “Stopping smoking can have a positive impact on your health straight away, with your blood pressure and heart rate returning to normal after just 20 minutes, the carbon monoxide in your body eliminated after a day and your energy levels improving after three days.

“Giving up such an addictive substance as nicotine can be difficult and help from friends, relatives and stop smoking services can make all the difference.”

Tracy Mcgrory helps pregnant women in Bradford to stop smoking. “I work around changes in behaviour,” she says. “I ask them what they want to achieve and I may give them a request for a GP to issue nicotine replacement therapy.”

The community and wellbeing support worker with Bradford District Care Trust’s Health on the Streets team carries out home visits to check how the women are progressing and to provide encouragement.

“It is important to that the nicotine replacement therapy is correct, and then we look at what sort of barriers may be preventing them from stopping. There could be a lot of stress in their lives and they may find the habit hard to break.”

Tracy, who also helps women after they have given birth, advises on smoking around babies. “Sometimes a mother will have given up but family members still smoke, so we talk about that. The sessions encourage people as to how they should approach things. A lot of people want to give up but find it hard.”

Surveys have shown that smokers are more likely to successfully quit if they have the support of family and friends. Some people are unaware of what constitutes a smoke-free home.”They think if they are standing at the kitchen door or beside an open window then it is smoke-free, but you must be outside with the windows and doors closed.”

She adds: “Midwives say that once you have had a cigarette you should not touch your baby for at least 20 minutes as the chemicals are still on your clothing.” Each cigarette contains around 4,000 chemicals, as well as nicotine, many of which are known to be toxic. “It is about trying to educate people as to why is it important to stop smoking while pregnant.”

Bradford stop smoking service is on (01274) 437700; smokefree.nhs.uk; Quit Group is held every Thursday morning at Airedale Hospital’s Training and Education Centre from 9am to 11am.