Smokers wanting to quit will get extra help today (28th June) from ASDA, as the supermarket rolls back the price of nicotine replacement patches (NRT) to the same price as a pack of cigarettes. 

The price move sees ASDA knocking 66% off a pack and offering customers what it claims is the lowest price for NRT in the country.

This means you will be able buy a week's supply of Nicotine replacement patches for what a pack of cigarettes costs The ban on smoking in public places is coming into force this Sunday (1 July 2007).

ASDA is hoping the move on price is going to stub out the excuse that the high cost of nicotine replacement treatments is a good enough reason not to quit. 

John Evans, Superintendent Pharmacist for ASDA said, "Quitting for good is probably the single most important change you can make if you want to improve your health, we hope that our price cut is a big enough incentive to chuck the ciggies for good”  

The patches are designed to supply your body with a replacement amount of nicotine which decreases as you progress through the programme. 

Unlike cigarettes, nicotine replacement does not contain toxic chemicals like tar or carbon monoxide and does not cause cancer. 

About 12 million adults smoke in the UK, which is about a quarter of the adult population. 

Not only does smoking have well known health costs but significant social and economic implications too. 

Smokers spend on average £92,000 on the habit during their lifetime and smoking costs the NHS a staggering £1.5 billion each year.