Smokers will find there is no better time to quit the deadly habit than during Ramadan.

That's the message a new campaign is hoping to hammer home this month.

Lord Ahmed of Rotherham launched the British Heart Foundation's (BHF) Ramadan Stop Smoking Campaign at the House of Lords aimed at the 1.6 million Muslims in the UK.

This year's campaign is targeting smokers and non-smokers alike during the month of fasting which started on 27 October 2003.

Smokers are being urged to stop smoking as they are twice as likely as non smokers to develop coronary heart diseases. Family and colleagues of smokers are also being urged to support them in their efforts to quit.

Lord Ahmed said, "The Government is providing free NHS stop smoking clinics. Nicotine replacement therapies and smoking treatments will be provided on prescription. It has been shown that these sorts of support can double the chances of quitting successfully.

"Tackling public health dangers of second hand smoke is our next target."

Support and advice is being given to smokers and their families via a comprehensive range of free 0800 telephone Quitlines in nine languages.

Director General of British Heart Foundation, Major General Leslie Busk said, "Smokers are twice as likely to develop heart disease and some Muslim communities have a higher prevalence of heart disease.

"The British Heart Foundation's commitment towards reducing the health burden of smoking in the Muslim community has been shown by our funding of the Quitlines. We are proud that many Muslim smokers take our advice and stop smoking for life during our campaigns every Ramadan."

Qaim Zaidi, BHF Ethnic Strategy Co-ordinator says, "Quitlines are a very cost effective method of helping smokers to quit smoking. Trained counsellors can double your chances of stopping by discussing your habit with you and helping you set a quit date and access other support."

Steve Crone, Chief Executive of Quit says, "QUIT is proud to be associated with British Heart Foundation's Ramadan Stop Smoking Campaign. Quitlines are an effective public health intervention that open smoking cessation support to a large number of communities in the UK. Our helplines have reached over two million smokers to date."

The language Quitlines listed below are partly funded by the British Heart Foundation and managed by Quit: Bengali 0800 00 22 44, Gujarati 0800 00 2255, Hindi 0800 00 22 66, Punjabi 0800 00 22 77, Urdu 0800 00 22 88.

The number of the English Quitline is 0800 00 22 00.