In March 1985, Bedfont Scientific Ltd. launched the Smokerlyzer carbon monoxide (CO) monitor to help people quit smoking. Today, the Smokerlyzer is still used worldwide by Stop Smoking Services and Bedfont is urging people to start their smoke-free journey as No Smoking Day approaches on 11th March. These days, people will use things such as vaping to help them stop smoking so they can get away from addictive nicotine that is affecting their health. With people going online to find their nearest vape shop as well as researching what alternatives there are, they are able to live smoke-free lives.

According to the World Health Organisation, tobacco smoking is responsible for 8 million deaths each year, of which 1.2 million deaths are actually non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke. No Smoking Day is acknowledged annually throughout the UK to encourage smoking cessation and raise awareness of the health-related risks brought about from cigarettes.

Jason Smith, Managing Director at Bedfont Scientific, comments, “No Smoking Day is the perfect opportunity to quit the habit. The UK is already moving towards a smoke-free future and quitting begins by visiting your local Stop Smoking Service and asking for a Smokerlyzer breath test. The monitor works by doing what comes naturally – breathing.”

By analysing a breath sample, the Smokerlyzer can tell how much CO is in your lungs and blood that has been inhaled from smoking. Smoking builds high levels of CO in the blood, which can lead to heart disease, circulation problems, and high blood pressure. The Smokerlyzer is a useful tool for Stop Smoking Services to establish a smoker’s status, whilst acting as a motivational visual aid to encourage patients to quit smoking and to measure their progress whilst doing so, helping to prevent cancer and other smoking-related diseases.

To find your local Stop Smoking Service and take a Smokerlyzer breath test, visit https://www.nhs.uk/smokefree/help-and-advice/local-support-services-helplines.