Dozens of young smokers have been given a glimpse of what they may look like in years to come, if they don't kick the habit.
The Stop Smoking team from NHS
Dozens of young smokers have been given a glimpse of what they may look like in years to come, if they don't kick the habit.
The Stop Smoking team from NHS Hillingdon took photos of students from Uxbridge College and used special aging software to show them how they will look when they are 72 years old, if they continue to smoke.
As part of the Freshers' Fayre held at the College's Uxbridge Campus, the computer generated images had the desired effect with many pledging to stub their cigarettes out for good.
Friends Jonathan Moran and Shukri Abdi are both smokers. Jonathan (19) has tried to give up on many occasions. He started smoking at the age of 14 because of "peer pressure" and all of his family apart from his mother smoke.
Jonathan said: "I smoke around 15 or 20 cigarettes per day and although I have tried to give up I haven't been able to. All of my friends smoke too so when I am trying to give up I am ok until I get to the pub on a Friday night. It's really hard."
Upon seeing the picture of what he will look like at 72, Jonathan said: "I didn't like it at all. The amount of wrinkles I will have if I continue to smoke has shocked me the most. I am definitely going to give up now and will be going to the Stop Smoking service to get some advice."
Shukri added: "Seeing Jonathan looking like that has made me want to give up as well. I definitely don't want to look like him when I am 70!"
Smokers during the event were also given the opportunity to breathe into a carbon monoxide detector as well as get advice from the experts.
Alun Lewis, Manager of NHS Hillingdon's Stop Smoking service, said: "Using this aging software has been a real eye opener for the students. Many young people do not consider the long term health risks, such as breathing problems or heart disease. However, seeing the early visual effects of grey skin and wrinkles caused by smoking has made them think twice about lighting up. It's been great to let these students know about the service and the help, advice and support available so that we can help them kick the habit for good."
Gavin Hughes, Director of Student Services at Uxbridge College, said: "In addition to the high quality education and training Uxbridge College provides, we offer a broad range of personal support including on finance, personal matters, travel, and health and fitness. Many of these services were featured at this year's Freshers' Fayre where we were pleased to have Hillingdon Stop Smoking Service. We hope the graphic illustration through their aging software of what smoking can do for your looks will encourage a few of them to consider quitting the habit!"
For more information about how you can stop smoking, please call the Stop Smoking Service on: 0800 169 7541