The pressure on people to give up smoking is now much more intense...

The government of the United Kingdom is advising all businesses and corporations that they should make time for the employees to give up smoking. The government’s health advisory section said that employees should be given leave so that they may attend clinics which can help them lose the addiction to nicotine.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) also said that in view of the upcoming rules banning smoking in public places, giving information about where employees can get help to give up smoking would not only benefit the country but would also be beneficial for the firms in question, as smokers are more productive and this could lead to higher profits for the companies in question.

People who smoke are more likely to take sick leave and not only that but they have to find time to have their cigarette breaks. On the 1st of July 2007 there is going to be a complete ban on smoking in workplaces all over England, and Scotland and Wales have already instituted their own smoking bans. It is estimated that the cost to the National Health Service of smoking is in the region of one and a half billion pounds every year and on top of that companies and industry in the United Kingdom lose around 5 billion pounds a year in sick leave, fire damage and reduced productivity and this is on top of the estimated 90,000 smoking related deaths in England every year.

The pressure on people to give up smoking is now much more intense and the government is advising them that now is the time to give up. Banning smoking in public places does help people to give up as they are able to relax in places like restaurants, bars and nightclubs without constantly being tempted by other people lighting up cigarettes.

The drug company Pfizer has also introduced its new anti-smoking drug namely Champix that can help reduce the craving for nicotine considerably.