A MAJOR campaign has been launched in the town targeting people who use hand rolling tobacco.

The south west has the highest proportion of people who smoke roll-ups – a total of 33 per cent.

This is the first campaign to target hand rolling tobacco smokers and will highlight the health risks and dispel the myths that have built up around it.

The campaign, launched by Smokefree Southwest and backed by NHS Swindon, will be seen across the town on billboards, support packs for smokers looking to quit and hard-hitting radio and television adverts.

NHS Swindon Acting Director of Public Health, Cherry Jones said: “It is really important that people who smoke hand rolled tobacco understand that it is just as dangerous as smoking cigarettes bought in packets.

It may be cheaper, but it just means you are spending less to receive the same lethal cocktail of toxins.

“There is a huge amount of support available from the Swindon NHS Stop Smoking team for those who really want to give up smoking, including advice to combat cravings and nicotine patches and gum on prescription.”

The cost of hospital admissions for users of hand rolling tobacco in the south west ran to approximately £31.7m in 2008/09, representing an estimated £6 for every person in the region.

Smokefree South West has developed a brand new Wise-Up to Roll-Ups pack containing information about hand rolling tobacco and advice on how to quit. Smokers can order a pouch, by texting WISE to 0800 028 0553 or by going online to www.wiseupandquit.co.uk.