EXPERTS will discuss whether the North-East could stub out smoking totally within 20 years.
The idea will be considered at a conference in Durham city today (Wednesday, March 20) called Making Smoking History.
The event is being co-hosted by the smoking control organisation Fresh and the Association of North East Councils.
Smoking is still the North-East’s biggest killer, but the region also has double the national average of people giving up.
Responsibility for public health transfers from the NHS across to councils from April 1.
Prof John Britton, chairman of the Royal College of Physicians' Tobacco Advisory Group and who is speaking at the conference, said: “The North-East has amazed everyone over the past decade with the massive steps taken to cut smoking, but there is much more that must be done to rid society of the harm caused by tobacco. “
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