No Smoking Day challenges you to hit your target

Military and civilian personnel from across the Ministry of Defence have been taking part in a series of events to mark National No Smoking Day today, Wednesday 12 March 2008.

The day aims to challenge smokers to give up their cigarettes for good and the MOD is once again holding events everywhere to provide help and support for its personnel.

Giving up smoking has immediate benefits:
• After 20 minutes your blood pressure and pulse return to normal
• After 8 hours nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in your blood are halved
• After 24 hours carbon monoxide will be eliminated from your body and your lungs will have started to clear out the tar that's been clogging them up
• After 48 hours there is no nicotine left in your body and your senses of taste and smell are greatly improved
• After 72 hours your breathing becomes easier and your energy levels increase
• After 2-12 weeks your circulation improves and exercise can be easier
• After 3-9 months any coughs, wheezing and breathing problems improve

As part of National No Smoking Day HMS Endurance also took a radical line to highlight a new way to quit. Each year, a medical unit is chosen to represent the Royal Navy in its support for the national campaign. Endurance came up with the idea of leaving the 'Big Cig' somewhere even the most committed smoker would struggle to find him: in the depths of Antarctica.

"Antarctica is a great place to stop smoking," said Endurance's Principal Medical Officer, Surgeon Lieutenant Commander Matthew Turner. "Either it's a crystal clear sunny day and it's almost criminal to pollute the environment with the smoke, or it's blowing a gale and is -20 degrees, and it's just too cold to stand shivering on deck."

Back in the UK, the MOD's Main Building in Whitehall held its own No Smoking Day event where representatives from all three Services, the Defence Dental Services and two Army PTI/Health Trainers were on hand to demonstrate the effects smoking has on your body.

Bedfont Scientific who produce the Smokerlyzer carbon monoxide monitors used in military smoking cessation clinics demonstrated how their products worked.

Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth, who attended the event, said:

"I am pleased to support No Smoking Day as it is important that our people remain as fit and healthy as possible and that we promote the event as widely as possible. The help and advice that the MOD is providing through military smoking cessation clinics mean that the advisors there understand and can support the specific challenges that Service personnel face. I encourage anyone who smokes to take advantage of all the help that we make available to them."

Judith Skinner, co-ordinator of the military campaign at the No Smoking Day charity, added:

"March 12 sees the ninth military No Smoking Day, when thousands of Armed Forces personnel and the civilians who work with them will take The Great No Smoking Day Challenge. Service bases and units from Afghanistan to Antarctica will have lots of great events planned with posters and promotional goodies available. Stopping smoking is incredibly important for the Armed Forces, for health, fitness and safety, so here's to lots of successful quit attempts this No Smoking Day."

Provided By: MOD - http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/DefencePolicyAndBusiness/NoSmokingDayChallengesYouToHitYourTarget.htm