The smoking ban has been an incentive for people in Bradford to kick the habit, an expert says.

Marcia McGrail, a stop- smoking specialist for Bradford and Airedale Teaching Primary Care Trust, said 90 per cent of the people who visited a session at St George's Hall cited the ban as a reason to kick the habit.

The ban on smoking in enclosed public places begins on Sunday under legislation which Bradford Council will enforce.

And yesterday, which was the last session to take place before smoking becomes illegal in all public places in England, the team welcomed ten new people through the door alongside those who have used the service for longer.

The service was set up for people who found it difficult to make time for an appointment with their GP. Participants can access support and advice about giving up as well as finding out about other initiatives run in Bradford.

Marcia said: "We do an initial assessment to look at what their options are. It's an individual assessment. We don't have a script that everybody conforms to. The smoking ban has been crucial to the number of people coming here."

Security guard Syed Uddin, 33, of Girlington, Bradford said the support provided by the team was as valuable as the Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) on offer.

Mr Uddin said he started smoking about ten years ago and got up to 20 to 30 cigarettes a day.

He said the ban was one of the many reasons he was desperate to quit. "I became a really heavy smoker," he said. "There are so many reasons to give up - it's always in the back of my head - money, health and it's socially unacceptable. The ban is a factor for me to quit smoking."

He had managed to cut down and hoped to give up completely.

Mother-to-be Claire Flesher, 33, a housing officer of Bolton, Bradford, said: "This is the first time I have tried to give up and, at the moment, I am finding it difficult. But I know I have to do it because I'm expecting a baby in November."

The woman, who has smoked for 17 years, started sessions with a group of work-mates who also wanted to give up. She said: "The staff here have been absolutely amazing, they really do help you through.

"It's very, very difficult, it's very hard, you have to persevere, it's will power."

The session will run for one more week before breaking for the summer.

Sessions will resume at St George's Hall on Monday, August 6, between 9am and 1pm.

For information about the PCT support available to smokers wanting to quit telephone (01274) 363559.

e-mail: rebecca.wright@bradford.newsquest.co.uk

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