Supported by an educational grant from Pfizer Ltd.

Call your local stop smoking service. They can give you all the help and support you need to stop smoking and slow down your COPD.

Visit www.nhsggcsmokefree.org.uk for more information.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease that makes breathing difficult.

Your lungs should be stretchy so they get bigger when you breathe in, and go back to normal when you breathe out. But if you have COPD, your lungs lose their stretchiness over time. This makes it hard for you to breathe out and everyday tasks can be really tiring.

There isn’t a cure, but stopping smoking can help slow down your COPD’s progression.

You’ve got little hairs in your lungs called cilia. They sweep the mucus out of your lungs so you can breathe properly. But when you smoke, these hairs stop working or are destroyed, which means your airways get clogged up, swollen and narrow.

It makes it much harder for you to breathe.

There’s a range of local support to help you stop smoking, all delivered by experienced, trained professionals.

• Friendlyandinformalweeklystopsmokinggroupsandonetoonesessions in local venues.

• Alllocalpharmaciesofferstopsmokingsupportasadropinservice.

• Hospitalinpatientscanbesupportedtostopsmokinginhospitalwithongoing support arranged on discharge.

All offer:

• FREErelaxed,friendlyadviceandsupportfromtrainedprofessionals

• stopsmokingmedication

• informationabouteffectivewaystostopsmoking.

• feelingbreathless

• verybadcough

• phlegmwhenyoucough

• feelingtiredandwornout

And remember, you’re up to four times more likely to stop smoking with the support of your local stop smoking service than by going it alone.