Smoking diseases cost county NHS £39m
The health service in Lincolnshire forks out £39.6 million a year on treating patients for smoking-related conditions, new figures reveal.
NHS statistics 11 years ago showed that the county's spending on smoking-related health was £24.9 million – meaning an extra £14.7 million is now being levied on tackling smoking illness annually.
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But despite the higher cost of treating patients, the tax collected by the Government from county tobacco sales has actually fallen.
Lincolnshire smokers paid £100.2m in tax in 1998, compared with £98m last year.
Manager of NHS Lincolnshire's Phoenix Stop Smoking Service Gary Burroughs said there was significantly less revenue collected from tobacco sales despite a packet of 20 cigarettes going up from £3 to £5.50 over the past decade.
However, he says the number of smokers living with long-term smoking-related diseases has increased, prompting the huge hike in NHS costs.
"Although smoking levels have dropped since 1998, people already affected by cigarettes are getting ill," said Mr Burroughs.
"Diagnostic healthcare is more expensive and people are aware earlier of the onset of diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)."
There are currently 1,278 county patients who require oxygen to treat COPD, one of the main causes of which is smoking.
It costs NHS Lincolnshire £475 a year to treat each of these patients – a total of £607,050.
National No Smoking Day takes place tomorrow. To get help with your addiction to tobacco, contact the Phoenix Stop Smoking Service on (01522) 550681.
For more on the money needed to treat smoking-related diseases in the county, see Tuesday's Echo.
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by Swiss Frank, The Alps
Wednesday, March 11 2009, 2:36AM
“tut tut Brian, just where are you being forced to inhale a lungful of passive smoke these days? Certainly not in any public building or seemingly in your own home? Therefore i suggest that if people smoking in the street offends you so much, you shift your overweight body to the other side of the road upon approaching them. It sounds as if the exercise may do you some good.”
by Castella, ,,,The no1 smoke
Tuesday, March 10 2009, 7:30PM
“No one likes to be preached to Brian..
I sorry but you are living proof that there is nothing more annoying than a convert...”
by Brian, Monks road - Lincoln
Tuesday, March 10 2009, 7:02PM
“Oh I give up. I am not leaving comments on here to upset anyone. I don't want to get into insults and all that degrading malarkey. @ A1 smoker - if you want to stink, cough and splutter all your life, thats up to you. We can only but try and make you see what damage you do to your self and people around you. You just don't want to believe it and accept it. A lost cause trying to give advise. Makes me laugh that people keep saying they want to give up but won't listen and even take offence when people like myself tell it like it is. Its like an alcoholic not admiting he has a problem!!”
by Castella, ,,,,,The no1 smoke
Tuesday, March 10 2009, 6:42PM
“""My parnter have lost 3 stone since Christmas and I need to lose 2 stone to get to my ideal weight.""
Ever thought about having the chip on your shoulder removed Brian???”
by Brian, Monks road - Lincoln
Tuesday, March 10 2009, 6:10PM
“@ A SMOKER.. You are damn right there Mr... I used to smoke 20 a day and having given up 'thanks to the honesty of my friends' I know first hand what I inflicted on other people and pets. I also am over weight which I am working very hard on. My parnter have lost 3 stone since Christmas and I need to lose 2 stone to get to my ideal weight. I have been in the Gym for an hour today. And your comment about race, Yes I think they should stop smoking to, it's bad for everyone aint it!! Shame on you Mr Smoker.”