With the Islamic New Year fast approaching, stop smoking advisers in Bradford are urging Muslim communities to consider quitting the fags for good.

It follows a high-profile campaign during the holy month of Ramadan in which the stop smoking service in Bradford targeted Asian smokers.

A campaign bus toured the district's Mosques to urge people to fast from cigarettes during Ramadan and special stop smoking advice packs were handed out.

Now with Al-Hijra, the Islamic New Year tomorrow, stop smoking advisers are again targeting the Muslim community which is more likely to suffer ill health by smoking.

Madge Boyle, Bradford District Health Development Partnerships Tobacco Programme Manager, said the campaign meant more smokers than ever from the South Asian community in Bradford were accessing stop smoking services.

"During the Muslim New Year, Muslims who smoke should consider quitting smoking," she said.

"It causes a range of illnesses, the most significant being lung cancer. Quitting smoking is the best thing you can do for your own health and the health of other Muslims around you.

"Make new year a day to stop smoking. We have stop smoking advisers who speak a variety of languages, including Urdu."

Many Muslim groups in Britain have worse health than non-Muslim communities.

Muslims have more heart disease, severe chest pain and long standing illnesses all attributed to smoking. Smoking rates among Asian communities are often higher than the national average and it is particularly the case with the male population.

It is estimated that 40 per cent of Bangladeshi males, 20 per cent of Indian males and 29 per cent of Pakistani males are addicted to smoking.

Rates of chewing tobacco are also much higher among many Asian communities, greatly increasing chances of getting oral cancer.

To contact a Bradford NHS stop smoking adviser call (01274) 363559.

The NHS has special Asian Tobacco Helplines for people wishing to get advice on the best ways to give up smoking. The numbers are: Urdu 0800 1690881, Punjabi 0800 169 0882, Hindi 0800 1690883, Gujarati 0800 1690884, Bengali 0800 1690885.