For many who start smoking, it could be difficult to stop it. There is good news for those who really want to quit smoking. Just go out, breath fresh air and live near green spaces –, this is what some researchers now suggest for getting rid of the habit of smoking.
The study was published in ‘Social Science and Medicine’ journal. In the study, the researchers said claimed that access to neighbourhood green space is linked to lower rates of smoking. Study author Leanne Martin (University of Plymouth, UK) has claimed that this was the first study to look into the link between smoking and neighbourhood green space. .
Martin said that the study showed that there was much link between green space and smoking and as such called for protecting the neighbourhood greens. The researchers analysed the living conditions and health of as many as 8,000 adults.
In the survey, they had just under one fifth or 19 per cent people who were current smokers. Almost half or 45 per cent people were those who had smoked regularly at some point of their lives. The researchers say that the current smokers who live in green surroundings had 20 per cent less chance of continuing smoking than the people who live in less green surroundings. They also noted that people who had smoked at some point of their lives who live in greener neighbourhoods were 12 per cent more likely to quit smoking.
The researchers have now said that it was now important that the authorities gave much importance to environment and also greening the neighbourhood for making people give up smoking.
A similar study by the same researchers has earlier claimed that green spaces were associated with reduced cravings for cigarettes alcohol and unhealthy foods.
