HEALTH conscious pensioners are almost four times more likely to quit smoking as teenagers in Dorset, according to new figures.

Research published by NHS Digital reveals that one in three people who pledge to ditch the habit manages to do so – but when the figures are broken down by age group, just one in 10 under 18s followed through on the promise, compared to 37 per cent of those in the 60 and over category.

When the figures are broken down by profession they reveal the success rate for pensioners is 43 per cent.

Students are the least likely to be able to quit, with a 12 per cent success rate, followed by those who have been unemployed for a year or more at 22 per cent, and those who are unable to work because of sickness or disability at 25 per cent.

In the financial year 2015/16 99 pregnant women pledged to quit smoking in Dorset and 37 were successful. This is one of the lowest success rates for pregnant women in the south west; in Bath and North East Somerset 78 per cent of those who pledged to quit did so. The regional average is 52 per cent.

Around one in eight mothers who gave birth in Dorset last year were smoking when the baby was born.

The national average is just over one in 10.

Head of tobacco control at Public Health Dorset Chris Ricketts said at the time of the previous article that the organisation has been working closely with maternity services to make sure families are offered support to quit smoking during the early stages of pregnancy.

He added: “This is a hugely important public health issue, but we also recognise how hard it can be to stop smoking. That is why we want to make sure there is excellent support for families, so that children can have the best start life to life without all the health risks that come with tobacco.”

Overall 1,892 people in Dorset pledged to quit in the financial year 2015/16. Around one third – 32 per cent - (615) quit, while 34 per cent (648) did not quit. The remainder (629) were not followed up to find out the outcome.

The figures were based on those who spoke to NHS staff and set a quit date, with successful quitters regarded those who had stopped the habit at the four-week follow up.

A spokesman for NHS Digital said: “NHS Stop Smoking Services offer support to help people quit smoking. This can include intensive support through group therapy or one-to-one support. The support is designed to be widely accessible within the local community and is provided by trained personnel, such as specialist smoking cessation advisors and trained nurses and pharmacists.”