It’s a challenge to stop smoking, especially if you have been smoking for a while. March 13, No Smoking Day, is a time to come together and offer encouragement and support to those on their quitting journey. 

Tips to quit smoking:

List your reasons to quit.

List your smoking triggers and how to avoid them. 

Tell people you are quitting.

Use stop smoking aids.

There are many mental health benefits to stopping smoking:

Evidence shows that once people have got past the short-term withdrawal stage of quitting, they have reduced anxiety, depression and stress and increased positive mood compared with people who continue to smoke.

For symptoms of anxiety and depression, stopping smoking is as effective as taking antidepressants. Just 6 weeks after quitting, people start feeling happier as well as healthier.

Smoking rates have reduced considerably since the first year of No Smoking Day 40 years ago and this year’s No Smoking Day campaign aims to continue this pattern and encourage people to quit by offering free proven NHS resources and advice.

Be part of the change and help build a smoke-free generation, visit: Quit smoking - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

You can also find more information about Stop Smoking services in local areas:

Barking and Dagenham – Council in-house branded Community Solutions

Hackney (& City) – Smokefree City and Hackney

Newham – QMUL — Quit Well

Tower Hamlets – QMUL — Quit Right

Waltham Forest – QMUL — Quit Right

Essex – Essex

Southend – Southend

Thurrock – Thurrock