Launch of Smoking Cessation drop-in at Western Isles Hospital Diabetes Centre on Friday, October 30

Smokefree Hebrides will be providing a Smoking Cessation drop-in service at the Diabetes Centre at the Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway from Friday 30^th October 2015.  The service will be launched at 12 noon on the 30^th with the drop-in service open for two hours afterwards.  The drop-in service will be open from 10 am to 12 noon every Friday thereafter.

The health risks associated with smoking are even greater for people with diabetes. It has been established that smoking can increase the risk of getting diabetes but it can also cause serious complications for people who already have the condition. For smokers with diabetes, their risk of heart attack is four times higher than normal. A non-diabetic who smokes a packet a day will have more than double the risk of a heart attack compared to a non-smoker. The risk of stroke is doubled for a diabetic who smokes. Smoking increases the risk of hypertension or high blood pressure but that risk is even higher for diabetics. Circulatory problems and the risk of leg ulcers and gangrene is also heightened among diabetics who smoke.

This service is primarily for Diabetes Centre service users but is being delivered by the Smoking Cessation service Smokefree Hebrides and advisers will welcome anyone – members of the public, patients or health staff – who want to pop along. Feel free to visit whether you want to find out more information about the new Smoking Cessation drop-in service or whether you are intending to make an attempt at quitting.

The advisors look forward to welcoming you along. Further information is available by calling Smokefree Hebrides on 01851 70 1623.

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