RESEARCH shows a fifth of smokers in Brighton are making it a New Year's resolution to quit - but half are not.

A new study shows smokers’ commitment to quitting but a lack of knowledge about alternatives

Reportedly, a fifth - or 21 per cent- of smokers in the city say they will be making a New Year’s resolution to stop.

However, 50 per cent have no intention of quitting – with 15 per cent saying it is because New Year is a bad time to quit

The survey by Lake Research, commissioned by Philip Morris Limited, highlights how determined smokers in Brighton are to quit but reveals that many feel unsupported, with a lack of information and access to smoke-free alternatives like e-cigarettes and heated tobacco.

Christian Woolfenden, managing director of Philip Morris Limited in the UK and Ireland, said: “People are often encouraged to abandon cigarettes in the New Year, but it is important that adult smokers in Brighton are not only supported all year round, but also made aware of the alternative products available.

"The best option for smokers is to quit tobacco and nicotine altogether. For those who don’t quit, there are many better smoke-free alternatives available such as heated tobacco and e-cigarettes.

“With more information from government, regulators and public health experts, many more smokers could be encouraged to stop completely or switch to less harmful alternatives. There is nothing stopping the UK from going smoke-free in 10 – 15 years’ time if the right measures are put in place.”

According to the survey of over 1,800 adult smokers, those who have previously made a quit attempt on January 1 in Brighton lasted an average of 142 days before taking up the habit.

This suggests that May 23 is the average day that people in Brighton will give up their attempts to quit after making a New Year’s pledge.

A total of 15 per cent of those smokers in the city who will not quit in January say it is because the New Year is a bad time to try, while 16 per cent say they will not be making the resolution due to "a lack of willpower".

For many smokers, a key reason for not quitting is the lack of alternatives: 48 per cent of smokers in Brighton believe they haven’t found a satisfying alternative to quit smoking, and 25 per cent wish they knew about a better range of alternatives.

For more information visit www.smokefreefuture.co.uk/thefacts/

Have you got a story for us? Email news@theargus.co.uk or contact us here.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up with all the latest news.

Sign up to our newsletter to get updates sent straight to your inbox.

You can also call us on 01273 021 400.