WORCESTERSHIRE County Council has pledged to drive down cigarette and tobacco use in the county.

The council has joined other authorities in signing the Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control, which

is a statement of a council’s commitment to ensure tobacco control is part of mainstream public health work.

It is estimated that smoking costs the NHS in Worcestershire £19 million each year and the declaration encourages councils to develop plans with communities on how to promote healthy living and the benefits of not smoking.

Councillor Marcus Hart, cabinet member for Health and Well-being, said: "This is an ideal opportunity for the council and our health partners to protect the health of our residents and our future generations by tackling the harm from tobacco use.

"As we know, smoking can mean a lifetime of ill health followed by premature death. This declaration commits the County Council to act at a local level to reduce smoking prevalence and to raise the profile of the harm caused by smoking to communities."

Information on local stop smoking services is available at www.worcestershire.gov.uk/stopsmoking.