Health chiefs have doubled their budget for medicines to help stop smoking ahead of the national ban.
Experts in north Essex have warned medics in the area to set aside extra funds to cope with the influx of people rushing to ditch tobacco before the July 1 smoking ban.
Stop smoking officers say they have been busy dealing with a deluge of people wanting to go on the £100 10-week course of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) funded by North East Essex PCT since January.
April was said to be a particularly busy month.
Now smoking cessation officers at the PCT predict July could see double the number of people wanting to quit and have warned bosses extra patches and gum may have to be ordered.
Colchester and Tendring stop smoking cessation officer Sue White said the extra cost would save the NHS and the PCT money in the long run as less people need treatment for smoking-related diseases.
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