No Smoking Day: 35 years on, the Smokerlyzer is still saving lives

In March 1985, BedfontScientific 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 11^th March.

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 analyzing 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.