Belfast taxi drivers are changing the stereotype of chain-smoking cabbies, by joining a pilot scheme to quit smoking.

Since the smoking ban they cannot smoke in their cars, so a group of taxi drivers have decided to take action.

Six drivers at the West Belfast Taxi Association have already kicked the habit, and another nine have enrolled on the quit smoking course at work.

General Manager, Stephen Long is stopping smoking and is keen for his workers to do the same.

"Providing that support at work is crucial to successfully quitting, most drivers just wouldn't get themselves on a course otherwise," he said.

Course members choose from aids like inhalers, patches and nicotine gum, and they've also been getting encouragement from passengers who are pleased that the cars no longer smell of smoke.

It is illegal for drivers to smoke in their vehicles whether they have passengers onboard or not, and they could be fined or lose their public service vehicle licence as a result.

Quitting courses

The Ulster Cancer Foundation noticed that taxi drivers are particularly prone to smoking, due to traffic jams, boredom or stress at work.

Bernie Neeson, from UCF, is running the taxi company's quit smoking courses.

"The drivers here work long hours, so we decided to bring the course to their work and run lunch-time sessions," she said.

Smoking is the single greatest cause of preventable illness and premature death in Northern Ireland - claiming some 2,300 lives each year.

It appears that the No Smoking Day message is sinking in.

According to the latest figures available, the number of people using the smoking cessation services throughout Northern Ireland has risen by 59% in the last two years.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7291911.stm