Durham County Council has renewed its commitment to help residents improve their health by giving up smoking.
The authority’s leader, Cllr Simon Henig, has signed the Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control.
It means the council will work with its partners to reduce the number of smokers in the county, highlight the negative effects of smoking and develop a plan to tackle health inequalities.
Cllr Lucy Hovvels, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for safer and healthier communities, said: “By signing this declaration, Durham County Council is showing its commitment to reducing smoking prevalence and reducing the health inequalities, death and disease caused by smoking.”
The declaration has been endorsed by the Public Health Minister, Chief Medical officer and Public Health England.