Why SmokeFree?

The simple answer is that smoking kills and there are numerous medical studies to back this up.

But tobacco doesn't just kill smokers - each year up to 100 people die in Liverpool as a direct result of inhaling secondhand tobacco smoke.

In addition, thousands of people are affected in a variety of ways by other people's smoke, and there is strong evidence that exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of getting lung cancer or heart disease.

Immediate exposure makes your eyes sore and leads to a headaches, dizziness, coughs, sore throats and nausea. If you are asthmatic you may experience a decline in lung function. Just 30 minutes exposure to other people's tobacco smoke can be enough to reduce blood flow through the heart.

These are some of the reasons that led Liverpool to take the initiative in 2004 and press for legislation to tackle the harmful effects of second-hand smoke.

National legislation was introduced on July 1 2007, with very high compliance in Liverpool.

However, the overall incidence of smoking in the city is still way above the national average, with smoking and secondhand smoke still the main cause of premature death in Liverpool. That is why the partners in SmokeFree Liverpool - health professionals, the local authority, private sector and charities - are continuing to press for a smokefree city.