Make a fresh quit for 2025 for better health, more money and less stress
This New Year, quitting smoking is the most important resolution you can make for better health, more money and for your family.
New Year is the most popular time for people making a fresh quit attempt – you can take some of the stress out of quitting by using a quit aid, switching to a vape and getting support.
People can visit FreshQuit.co.uk for tips, advice and local quit support.
There are lots of reasons to make a quit attempt and start 2025 smokefree:
- A healthier New Year: easier breathing, fewer coughs and colds and less risk of a diseases such as cancer, heart attack, stroke and COPD
- More money: quitting smoking will give you money you didn’t know you had – more than another £2000 a year.
- Less stress: quitting smoking is proven to leave people feeling calmer and happier after a few weeks. For adults who smoke, cravings can be eased with quit aids, nicotine replacement or a product like a vape (not recommended for anyone who does not smoke)
- Quitting smoking makes it less likely your children will smoke. Teens are nearly three times more likely to smoke if their parents, caregivers or friends do.
CNTW is supporting the New Year Smoking Survivors campaign from Fresh, North East local authorities and the NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board.
Ailsa Rutter OBE, Director of Fresh and Balance, said: “If you smoke, stopping for your family is something amazing you can do for them. You can reduce the risk of them ever taking up smoking and be around longer for them to see the important things in their life.
“Even if you have tried to quit before, give it another go and make a fresh quit – this time it can be different.”
It can take a number of attempts to successfully stop for good – but there are lots of ways to stop which can take a lot of the stress out of quitting.
Your chances improve if you use a quitting aid or switch completely to vaping to reduce cravings. Stop Smoking Services can also help you develop a plan to help you stop for good.
Here’s how your body recovers when you quit
After 20 minutes
Your pulse rate starts to return to normal.
After 8 hours
Your oxygen levels are recovering, and the level of harmful carbon monoxide in your blood will have reduced by half.
After 48 hours
All carbon monoxide is flushed out. Your lungs are clearing out mucus and your senses of taste and smell are improving.
After 72 hours
If you notice that breathing feels easier, it’s because your bronchial tubes have started to relax. Also your energy will be increasing.
After 2-12 weeks
Blood will be pumping through to your heart and muscles much better because your circulation will have improved.
After 6 weeks
Smokers who stop have better mental health than those who continue to smoke. One study found that benefits could be seen as soon as six weeks and were maintained even a number of years after stopping.
After 3-9 months
Any coughs, wheezing or breathing problems will be improving as your lung function increases.
After 1 year
Great news! Your risk of heart attack will have halved compared with a smoker’s.
After 10 years
Your risk of death from lung cancer will have halved compared with a smoker’s.
Source: https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/
For patients, the Trust’s QUIT Team is there to support all inpatients admitted to CNTW who smoke.
The service is available for any inpatient admitted to CNTW who is a known smoker or uses any tobacco products on admission.
All admissions will be automatically referred to the service via the physical health form, which identifies if a patient is a smoker. Any patient can be referred at any time for support via quitteam@cntw.nhs.uk