HEALTH and council leaders have signed a pledge to reduce the number of people smoking in South Gloucestershire.

Leader of South Gloucestershire Council Cllr Matthew Riddle (Con, Severn) and director of public health Professor Mark Pietroni have signed the Local Authority Declaration on Tobacco Control to help protect people from preventable diseases such as lung cancer.

The declaration commits the council to tackle the number of people who smoke in the district and health inequalities amongst communities including priority neighbourhoods where lung cancer is more prevalent.

Cllr Riddle said: “We are committed to providing the very best services and support we can for people who wish to stop smoking in South Gloucestershire.

“In signing this declaration we can continue to build on the positive work we are already doing locally to inform people about the serious damage smoking can cause.”

Mr Pietroni said together the district had to make smoking less attractive.

“Our focus is to continue to promote a shift in social attitudes so that choosing not to smoke is encouraged regardless of who you are or where you live,” he said.

“It’s really important that we continue to reduce the attractiveness of tobacco, particularly to young people, and that everyone plays their part to protect children from the harms of second-hand smoke.”

He said a new tobacco control strategy, youth prevention programme and a campaign to reduce smoking in pregnancy were all being planned and both authorities were working to stop the trade in illegal tobacco sales.