The service has supported more than 80,000 so-called “quit attempts” since it was launched in 1999.
Now, just 8.2 per cent of people in the county are smokers – down from 30 per cent when the service began.
Speaking at Thursday’s meeting (January 9) of the Northumberland Health and Wellbeing Board, Northumberland County Council’s cabinet member for Caring for Adults Wendy Pattison hailed the impact of the service.
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She said: “We have something to celebrate. It is 25 years since we started our stop smoking service – it’s an anniversary year.
“It is a marvellous group of people and they are extremely dedicated to stopping smoking in Northumberland. It is over 75 years since the connection between lung cancer and smoking was made – when you think we have been smoking in this country for centuries, we have come a long way.”
Kerry Lynch, senior public health manager at Northumberland County Council, was part of the team that set up the Stop Smoking Service.
She said: “Now is not the time to stop. Smoking remains the biggest preventable cause of death in Northumberland.
“It is a leading driver of health inequalities, with the greatest harms falling on the poorest and most vulnerable. Smoking prevalence when the service was started was up to 30 per cent – it is now down to 8.2 per cent. All the graphs are going in the right direction.
“However, we still have thousands of smokers in the county. If we’re going to achieve a smoke-free society for our children, we have to keep going.”
The service aims to reduce the smoking rate to just 5 per cent. John, a male resident, aged 49, who recently used the Stop Smoking Service said: “I’ve smoked since I went to university at 18 and got through up to 25 cigarettes a day.
“I recently decided to try and quit, but knew I would need support to do it. After initially trying patches, I am finding using a vape is much more effective for me.
“I’ve now been quit for 12 months. I am sleeping much better, my mental agility has improved, my memory seems better, and my appearance has improved. I have even started working out and can breathe much better.”