Stub it out for Diabetes Awareness Week

Everyone risks damaging their health through smoking, but for people living with diabetes the risk may be even greater.

If you have diabetes, you already have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, such as heart attack, stroke or circulatory problems in the legs. If you’re living with diabetes and you’re a smoker, you make these chances even higher.

Smoking and Diabetes Facts

• Smoking increases your chances of developing diabetes complications, such as arterial and heart disease, poor circulation in the legs, neuropathy, retinopathy and kidney damage
• Increases your risk of needing amputation
• If you develop the diabetic complication of excessive protein in the urine, you are twice as likely to progress to kidney failure if you smoke
• Smoking increases your blood pressure, which also increases your risk of developing diabetes complications

Remember, not smoking is one of the most positive things you can do to reduce your risk of long term diabetes complications.

A study from 2015 found that people who had never smoked, but were exposed to secondhand smoke, were at a 22% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than people who had never smoked but had been exposed to secondhand smoke. You can find out more about the risk of passive smoking and diabetes here.

You’re not on your own when it comes to quitting smoking, Yorkshire Smokefree are here to support you. Our stop smoking advisers will provide you with expert NHS advice, a range of resources to suit your needs to ensure you’re smokefree as soon as possible.

Support comes in a variety of ways, depending on your preferences. We offer telephone support, face to face sessions, group sessions and our unique online quit tool. So when you’re ready, Yorkshire Smokefree is too.

Get started on your quit journey by calling us on 0800 612 0011 (free from landlines) or 0330 660 1166 (free from most mobiles).