Tobacco tsar to cut smoking deaths

THE job of tobacco tsar has been created for the first time in North Lincolnshire.

The £40,000-a-year officer will be tasked with driving down the number of smoking-related deaths in the county.

The smoking tsar job is a joint project between NHS North Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire Council, with the funding coming from the Department of Health (DoH).

The main task for the successful candidate will be to drive down the number of smokers the region has, through support and advice.

Coun Len Foster, deputy leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: "Smoking is one of the leading causes of health inequality and premature morbidity.

"I welcome this joint initiative with the NHS North Lincolnshire to create a new Tobacco Control Co-ordinator."

Most recent figures, released last year, show around one smoker will die each day in North Lincolnshire, while three non-smokers per year are killed by second-hand smoke.

A DoH spokesman said: "It is good news that another local council has appointed a local tobacco control co-ordinator whose contribution will help in reducing the burden of ill-health to the local people and the local economy."

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