The NPA has urged patients to visit pharmacies for help with giving up smoking in the wake of a government campaign warning of the effects of second-hand smoke on children.

The campaign, launched on Tuesday (June 4) and run by Public Health England (PHE), will include TV and online advertising that says smoking out of a car window or the back door is not enough to protect children from second-hand smoke.

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	The NPA stressed that pharmacies helped 4,000 people quit smoking every month and could offer consultations on smoking cessation and create programmes to help patients quit. "If you're struggling with nicotine withdrawal cravings, most pharmacies provide nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)... in a range of ways to suit you," said NPA director of pharmacy Deborah Evans.

Royal College of Physicians figures revealed in 2010 that more than 800 children visit their doctor every day because of the effects of second-hand smoke exposure, which can put them at increased risk of lung disease, meningitis and cot death, PHE highlighted this week. 

It also noted the results of a Onepoll survey of 679 people, conducted in May, which found that three quarters of smoking parents were surprised at the levels of harm caused by second-hand smoke to children. More than two thirds of respondents admitted to smoking in the car with their children present.

Chief medical officer Professor Dame Sally Davies said the government was sending out a clear message to smokers that giving up the habit was by far the best way to protect their families.

Nice recommended the wider use of licensed NRT options for smokers who struggle to quit in guidance published yesterday (June 5).