A NATIONAL initiative using text messages and e-mails to help people give up smoking has been praised by health bosses in Poole.

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) said its new scheme was personalising the war on tobacco and aimed to warn smokers about the danger of the habit to their heart.

Poole Primary Care Trust (PCT) has welcomed the campaign, which has also been praised by Oakdale councillor Peter Adams, who is behind proposals to ban smoking in the borough's public places.

Backed by a £5 million cash injection from the Department of Health, the project will see smokers given information on where to go to get help as well as tips to beat cravings.

They can also sign up for free text messages and e-mails telling them how their bodies recover from smoking.

Tina Price, Poole PCT's corporate business manager, said: "Anything that someone does which is going to encourage people to give up smoking has got to be good.

"We've got clinics that run at Poole Hospital and various other things that we are doing ourselves, but this is very accessible and we would definitely encourage it."

Cllr Adams added: "I think it's an excellent initiative because it does remind people that you can do it, you can stop smoking.

"Everybody reads their e-mails and I'm very positive towards it. Even if you only get two per cent of the people that you e-mail, that's still moving on."

Cllr Adams is leading a six-month consultation into plans to ban smoking in the town's bars, clubs and restaurants and the results are currently being discussed by a specialist panel before a final decision is made.

If the proposals are agreed, a by-law would be introduced banning, or at least severely restricting, smoking in the borough's public places.

Cllr Adams will be among those speaking at a session on passive smoking and public health being held as part of this week's Conservative Party conference at the BIC.

The event takes place tomorrow from 12.30pm to 2pm in the Avon Room and will also be attended by Ian Willmore, public affairs manager from anti-smoking group Ash, and prospective parliamentary candidate cllr Simon Hayes.

To find out more about giving up smoking, call Poole SmokeStop on 745750.

First published: October 5