TOMORROW thousands of smokers across the country will stub out their cigarettes, vowing never to turn to the evil weed again.

But after tomorrow's National No Smoking Day, only a relative handful will be able to turn their back on tobacco permanently.

About 70 per cent of smokers report that they want to give up, but despite the widely publicised health risks, the rising prices of cigarettes, restrictions on tobacco advertising and smoking bans in many public places, smoking remains ingrained in our culture.

There are currently about 13 million adults in the country who are smokers, roughly one in five.

According to the Department of Health, smoking is the UK's single greatest cause of preventable illness and early death.

More than 120,000 people a year in the country die from illnesses attributed to smoking.

While the numbers of people smoking has seen a steady decline since the 1960s, doctors are reporting the the decline appears to be levelling out.

The NHS has introduced a range of measures to tackle the problem. These include investing £60 million to help people give up, banning tobacco advertising and launching a media campaign to change attitudes towards smoking, a problem that costs the NHS £1.7 billion a year.

Advice on how to give up smoking is available on the NHS smoking helpline on 0800 169 0 169 or the NHS pregnancy smoking helpline on 0800 169 9 169.

A specialist NHS smoking cessation service is also run from Greenways Centre in Chippenham which can be contacted on 01249 454270. Support is also offered at many GP practices on a one to one basis.