Quitting smoking is the most important thing you can do for better health, more money and for your family.
Smoking just one cigarette a day raises your risks of heart attack or stroke.
Getting support to quit can improve your chances of quitting for good – from free quitting aids to help reduce cravings to local stop smoking service support.
John Stephenson, 49, from Stockton, suffered a heart attack at the age of 48. He is sharing his story as part of Fresh’s Smoking Survivors campaign which highlights the powerful life-changing stories of former smokers.
He said: “It was a wake-up call. I have now been smokefree for 18 months and the difference is incredible. I feel better, and healthier and enjoying life again – able to play on the beach with my grandkids.
“My advice for anyone trying to quit is if you don’t succeed, treat it as a blip, not a failure. Each time is different, and you can try something else. Keep trying to quit and you will get there.”
There are lots of reasons to make a quit attempt and start 2025 smokefree, including:
- better health: easier breathing and reduce the risk of fatal 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
You can visit FreshQuit.co.uk for tips, advice and local quit support.
It can take several 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. Local support from the Stockton Specialist Stop Smoking Service can also help you develop a plan and gives you the best chance of quitting.