Nicotine patches to be given to school children in Plymouth

Nicotine patches could be handed out in schools and films which feature smoking could be rated an 18, as part of a scheme to stop young people smoking in Plymouth.

According to a story in Plymouth's local newspaper The Herald, the city's draft Tobacco Control Strategy 2010 to 2020, reveals that 62.5 per cent of 16 year olds living in the city smoke regularly. Nearly 27 per cent of adults in Plymouth are smokers, in comparison to 21 per cent nationally according to NHS figures.

The schemes ideas include giving young people nicotine replacement therapy in schools and giving smokers certain boundaries at festivals and public events. Other possibilities include Plymouth City Council changing the classification of films which contain smoking to an 18 certificate.

Russ Moody, the manager of Plymouth NHS Stop Smoking Service was cited as saying: "The driving force behind the long term strategy is protection of young people. Once people understand why we are doing it - to protect young people and highlight the dangers associated with smoking - on the whole, most people are compliant."

School schemes include student peer support projects and the banning of smoking on site at secondary schools. The report states "In schools where smoking is particularly high, the use of patient group directives will be considered so that young people have access to nicotine replacement therapy during the day."

Stop smoking hypnotherapy is one type of treatment that could be used to help teenagers and young adults kick the habit without suffering cravings. The method has become increasingly popular with more and more celebrities turning to hypnotherapy to help them kick their smoking habit.

Many smokers find it hard to quit using will power alone, but hypnotherapy retrains both the conscious and unconscious parts of the mind, breaking the beliefs often held by smokers such as smoking helps them relax or feel better.