Department reaching out to the community

The Health Promotion Department is collaborating with local councils on its smoking cessation programme and is about to start a pilot project in Floriana.

An innovative aspect of the programme is that it will reach out to those who work during shop hours, offering classes between 1 and 4 p.m. It is also catering for mothers with young children by holding classes in the morning.

If staff levels increase, this free smoking cessation service could be spread to other local councils, department director Mario Spiteri said yesterday.

For those who are worried about gaining weight after giving up smoking, the department's weight reduction clinics are being extended on a national scale.

A record number of smokers attempted to kick the habit last year by attending smoking cessation classes, according to Dr Spiteri, who maintains that the law prohibiting smoking in public places of entertainment has encouraged people to quit.

The positive effect of the law was that those who were considering quitting decided to go for it, he said.

Last year, the number of smokers who quit was higher than ever. There were about 25 smoking cessation classes, with around 22 people in each, almost seven times as many as in previous years.

The Health Promotion Department also held over 1,000 one-to-one sessions, which is more than three times as many as in previous years, Dr Spiteri said.

The importers of NiQuitin CQ and the department have joined forces to help committed quitters, embarking on a project aimed at training pharmacists.

NiQuitin CQ 21mg patches are applied by committed quitters whenever they crave a cigarette. The product is also available in lozenges.

Studies show that one in four Maltese are smokers and that 66 per cent of them want to stop, said Joe Busuttil, the department's smoking cessation facilitator.

The department's classes are free and are based on group therapy and self-help.