NEARLY a third of the over-35s who die in central Cheshire are killed by smoking-related diseases - and the Government is not doing enough to prevent it.
Those are the findings of a survey by the Health Development Agency (HDA) which shows that, across Northwich, Winsford and Middlewich, 31% of deaths among over-35s were caused in some way by smoking. For men the figure is 37%, for women it is 23%.
Health chiefs in Mid Cheshire say the figures show that the Government's proposed smoking ban needs to be implemented sooner rather than later.
The HDA surveyed every primary care trust (PCT) in England, and it is the first time the figures have been broken down into a regional level. They show that Central Cheshire, which also covers Crewe and Nantwich, has the highest proportion of deaths in the county. In West Cheshire the figures show smoking causes 29% of all deaths and in East Cheshire it is 27%.
Nationally, more than 1,600 people are estimated to die from smoking each week. This amounts to about 230 deaths every day and nearly 10 deaths every hour.
The report was released days before the Government announced plans to ban smoking in cafés, restaurants and pubs where food is served across England. The White Paper on public health called for all enclosed public spaces and workplaces to be smoke-free by the end of 2008. All restaurants and pubs preparing and serving food would also be smoke-free, but other pubs and bars would be allowed to choose whether to implement the ban.
'We would have preferred the Government to have taken the same approach as Ireland and Scotland to introduce legislation.'
The PCT has launched a campaign called Smoke Free Cheshire and says the support of residents in the area shows the Government would be right to implement a full ban on smoking.
A spokeswoman said: 'Smoking is Central Cheshire's greatest cause of preventable ill-ness and early death. The number of people who are suffering with illness and disease caused by smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke is obviously greater than this.
'Increasing the number of smoke-free public places would reduce the number of people exposed to second-hand smoke. Seven-out-of-10 smokers would like to stop smoking, and most smokers state that if smoking was not allowed in work, restaurants and pubs they would have a greater chance of stopping.'
A recent survey showed 83% of Mid Cheshire residents would support a ban on public smoking.
Central Cheshire Primary Care Trust has welcomed the proposals, but says the figures show the Government needs to do more.
About 28% of Northwich residents regularly smoke, 32% of people in Winsford are smokers, while Middlewich has the lowest number of smokers in the three towns, with 25% of the adult population lighting up.
The PCT's director of public health, Wendy Meredith, said: 'With the launch of its White Paper, the Government has at last created a far-reaching programme to improve the public's health. There remains, however, the issue of smoking.
