The drive towards helping people give up smoking on National No-Smoking Day (March 8) has begun.
The Pharmacy Healthcare Scheme is about to send to pharmacies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland leaflets and campaign details for the annual exercise.
Also included will be application forms for the annual competition to find the pharmacy in Britain which offers the highest standard of advice and support for people trying to give up smoking. The winning pharmacy will receive a £150 gift voucher and a No-Smoking Day 2000 certificate of commendation. Ten runners-up will receive certificates and T-shirts. Applications have to be made by February 21.
Ms Miriam Armstrong (project manager, PHS) told The Journal on January 18: "Pharmacies are a key source of support for people who want to stop smoking. There was a huge increase in the number of pharmacies involved in the campaign last year and we are keen to build on this for No-Smoking Day 2000."
This is the 17th No-Smoking Day campaign. It is estimated that over 1m smokers take part in the day and that 40,000 of them succeed in giving up the addiction.
No-Smoking Day resource packs, which include stickers, a poster and suggestions on how to use this year's "cut it out" campaign theme are available free of charge from the No-Smoking Day campaign office (tel 020 7916 8070, fax 020 7916 7556, email no.smoking.day@virgin.net).

As in previous years, the 2000 campaign against smoking features a pharmacy advice competition