ASH Scotland is encouraging people in Edinburgh who smoke to aim for a tobacco-free 2025 to improve their physical and mental wellbeing.
The health charity’s call is part of its campaign promoting NHS Scotland’s free, expert stop-smoking support services.
Quitting smoking is one of the most impactful steps a person can take to lower their risk of long-term smoking-related illnesses, and also save money.
When people decide to make give up smoking their New Year’s resolution, not only will they find their health can improve but also an average smoker can save in the region of £250 by the end of January.
60% of people in Scotland who have given up smoking did not use anything to aid their quit attempts while 25% used Nicotine Replacement Therapy such as gum, patches and lozenges.
Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive of ASH Scotland, said: “Tobacco can be highly addictive so, if you’ve tried to quit before and gone back to smoking, don’t be discouraged. Each attempt helps you to understand better what methods work best for you.
“Giving up tobacco is the most important step you can take to improve your health, your finances, and the wellbeing of you and those around you. And you don’t have to face quitting alone.
“This New Year, we encourage people to reach out to local stop-smoking services or the national Quit Your Way Scotland service. With their specialist support, you’ll gain the confidence, tools, and motivation you need to have a tobacco-free 2025.”
For tips and resources to help you quit smoking, visit QuitYourWay.Scot or call the Quit Your Way Scotland free helpline on 0800 84 84 84.
Smokers who choose to quit on the 1 January could save a whole day of their life by 8 January, according to new research
New research finds smokers who choose to quit on New Year’s Day could save a whole day of their life by 8 January
On average, every cigarette smoked steals approximately 20 minutes of life
This equates to nearly seven hours of life lost with every 20 pack of cigarettes smoked, demonstrating the importance of government commitment to a smokefree UK
Smokers who choose to quit on the 1 January could save a whole day of their life by 8 January* according to new research from University College London (UCL), published today (30 December).
The research commissioned by the Department for Health and Social Care shows, smoking is more harmful than previously thought, with every cigarette stealing on average approximately 20 minutes of life from smokers.
This equates to nearly seven hours of life lost when smoking an average pack of 20 cigarettes.
If a smoker quits on New Year’s Day, by 20 February, smokers could get a week of their life back and by the end of the year, they could have avoided losing 50 days of life.
Any smoker considering quitting for 2025 can find advice, support and resources with the NHS Quit Smoking app, which has recently been updated with new information about beating cravings, as well as the online Personal Quit Plan, which tailors its advice to each smoker’s preferences.
The research follows the introduction of the landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which recently passed Second Reading in the House of Commons.
The world-leading Bill includes measures to create the first smoke-free generation , phasing out the sale of tobacco products across the UK to anyone born after 1 January 2009.
The Bill delivers on one of the three key shifts in the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, to move from sickness to prevention. Achieving this will help reach a key measurable milestone set out by the Prime Minister in his Plan for Change to cut waiting lists and protect the NHS.
Public Health Minister Andrew Gwynne said: “Smoking is an expensive and deadly habit, and these findings reveal the shocking reality of this addiction, highlighting how important it is to quit.
“The new year offers a perfect chance for smokers to make a new resolution and take that step.
“For anyone looking to quit in 2025, the NHS provide a range of services to help break free from the habit.
“This government is going further than ever to protect children and young people from ever becoming hooked on nicotine through our Tobacco and Vapes Bill.”
Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy, Deputy Chief Medical Officer said: “Smoking has an immediate impact on your lung and heart’s health as well as significantly increasing your chance of getting a chronic illness or disability and of dying young.
“Stopping smoking is one of the best things you can do to improve your current and future health. This new year – start afresh and leave smoking in the past.”
Separately, new research conducted by Censuswide shows more than half (53%) of smokers are planning on quitting smoking as a new year’s resolution in 2025.
Smoking is the number one preventable cause of death, disability and ill health in the UK. It causes around 80,000 deaths a year in the UK and 1-in-4 of all cancer deaths in England and kills up to two-thirds of its long-term users.
Just 72 hours after quitting, your breathing will feel easier, and your energy will increase. After 12 weeks, your blood circulation will improve and by the time one-year rolls around, your risk of heart attack will have halved compared to a smoker.
Sarah Jackson, Principal Research Fellow, UCL Alcohol and Tobacco Research Group said: “It is vital that people understand just how harmful smoking is and how much quitting can improve their health and life expectancy.
“The evidence suggests people lose, on average, around 20 minutes of life for each cigarette they smoke. The sooner a person stops smoking, the longer they live. Quitting at any age substantially improves health and the benefits start almost immediately.
“It’s never too late to make a positive change for your health and there are a range of effective products and treatments that can help smokers quit for good.”
Ex-smoker, Kamran, started smoking in university and tried to quit several times without success. With support from his local stop smoking service, Kamran quit smoking as a 2024 New Year’s resolution.
Kamran said: “It wasn’t until I quit smoking that I realised how much it had affected my health; I often felt short of breath and couldn’t keep up with my children.
“I tried to quit a few times without any help, but after a few days I would find myself thinking about it again.
“Quitting can be challenging but keeping busy and using stop smoking products was the best way for me to get through it.
“Now that I’m smoke free, I feel less stressed and am able to play a more active role in my family. I am proud of myself, and I feel great that I’ve managed to control it.”
Using stop smoking services is three times as effective as an unassisted quit attempt. To support current smokers to quit, the government recently confirmed an additional £70 million for stop smoking services in England, for 2025/26, with local authorities having received confirmation of their funding amount.
This is in addition to the NHS recently announcing the roll-out of a pill, Varenicline, that could help tens of thousands of people give up cigarettes.
Professor Sanjay Agrawal, NHS England national speciality advisor for tobacco dependency said: “NHS treatments, including nicotine replacement therapy, are helping thousands of adults each year to live healthier lives and we have seen adult smoking rates drop by more than half in the last three decades.
“But smoking remains a huge public health issue and giving up is one of the best things someone can do for their health, so if you’re looking for support to help you quit, please contact your local NHS stop smoking service.”
NHS GP and TV doctor, Dr Sarah Jarvis, said: “As a GP, I see firsthand the devasting effects smoking can have on health. Each cigarette smoked not only shortens life expectancy but also significantly increases the risk of many health conditions including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, dementia and COPD.
“I often see patients attempting to quit smoking with no support, but going cold turkey can be tough. Quitting smoking is easier when you have a plan and the right support – you don’t have to do it alone. The NHS offers a range of free quitting support, including the NHS Quit Smoking app and local stop smoking services.”
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill contains powers to extend the indoor smoking ban to certain outdoor settings to reduce the harms of second-hand smoking, particularly around children and the vulnerable. Children’s playgrounds and outside schools and hospitals are being considered in England and will be subject to consultation.
This sits alongside plans to crack down on youth vaping, with the Bill banning vape advertising and sponsorship, as well as giving powers to restrict the flavours, display and packaging of all types of vapes and nicotine products, subject to consultation.
The UK government is committed to cutting waiting lists – backed by an additional £22.6 billion for day-to-day spending over two years – as announced by the Chancellor in her first Budget. Protecting children and young people from smoking will free up valuable NHS services and help cut waiting lists.
In October, the Health and Social Care Secretary launched change.nhs.uk to encourage the biggest conversation ever about the NHS to help inform the 10 Year Health Plan for England.
The tie-up will create up to 40 jobs and ‘make stop smoking services more accessible in communities across the country‘
VPZ, the UK’s leading vaping retailer, is set to open 10 new stores by December 2024 as part of a groundbreaking partnership with the supermarket chain Morrisons, with plans to expand further during 2025.
The new in-store outlets will expand the brand’s presence in communities throughout the UK, with seven key locations in Leeds Hunslet, Birmingham Stirchley, Glenrothes, Peterhead, Darlington, Stratford and Grantham.
The collaboration will also introduce a new innovative mobile pod concept for customer parking areas, with two planned for Nottingham and one in Rotheram.
The partnership will drive positive change by making stop smoking services more accessible in communities throughout the country, whilst educating smokers on the benefits of more sustainable vaping products.
The new sites will help expand and complement VPZ’s mission to help people on their journey to quit smoking by improving access to expert stop-smoking advice and education.
VPZ stores offer a dedicated one-to-one service to help smokers quit. VPZ specialists are trained and have expert knowledge, engaging with smokers to educate them on the health and financial benefits of switching to vaping.
Furthermore, as a part of their shared commitment to environmental responsibility, all new stores will include VPZ’s comprehensive recycling programme. The service is open to all vapers, as anyone can visit the new stores and dispose safely of their vaping devices or e-cigarettes.
Greig Fowler, Director at VPZ, said: “Our partnership with Morrisons to open 10 new stores is a pivotal step in our mission to transform the health of our nation by empowering more people to become smoke-free.
“I believe that together we will be making it easier for smokers to access the resources, help and education they need to quit smoking, while also offering a convenient and sustainable shopping experience.”
He added: “We are looking forward to launching our new in-store locations, pod concepts and exploring further growth in 2025.”
VPZ has recently voiced concerns that the newly announced vape tax increase will unfairly impact the most vulnerable and set back the UK’s 2030 smoke-free targets. As vaping remains one of the most effective methods to quit smoking, VPZ has warned that higher taxes on vaping products could discourage smokers from switching, undermining both health and financial benefits.
VPZ also supports plans to ban disposable vapes across the UK and Scotland by June next year, however they have highlighted the rise of ‘Big Puff’ disposable vapes which threaten to bring a new youth vaping epidemic and even greater damage to the environment.
The imported products are exploiting a loophole in regulations to create a new and larger single-use vaping product ahead of the disposables vape ban.
Greig Fowler added: “These illegal ‘Big Puffs’ undermine our objectives and are poised to create a public health crisis with unregulated products flooding the marketplace.
“At the current moment, data shows that more than ever there is a need for the Government to step in to support trading standards and local authorities to keep up with the scale of the ‘Big Puff‘ epidemic.
“We urge for a better collaboration between the industry and regulatory bodies to address this arising issue promptly and ensure that these vapes do not flood the UK market even further and endanger the quit-smoking progress that has been achieved so far.”
To date, Edinburgh-based VPZ has already helped over 1 million smokers in the UK quit since it was established in 2012.
VPZ is the UK’s leading vaping retailer with over 160 stores throughout the UK. Since it was established in 2012 it has helped over 700,000 smokers quit.
VPZ Director Doug Mutter says the 12 per cent rise in vape sales figures across the industry is no surprise due to its effectiveness as a smoking cessation tool but urged the wider industry to take steps to educate consumers on sustainable products.
Doug said: “The significant increase in sales figures across the industry last month highlights once again that vaping is the best way for people to quit smoking and make a major lifestyle that improves your health and financial wellbeing.
“At VPZ, our stores offer a dedicated one-to-one service to help smokers quit and our consumer intelligence tells us that the majority of customers prefer being instore where they can access a personalised service and get the right guidance and advice from our staff that can’t be accessed elsewhere.
“VPZ specialists are trained and have expert knowledge, engaging with smokers to educate them on the health, environmental and financial benefits of switching to reusable and sustainable vaping products.
“Our approach gives adult smokers the help and advice they need at a time when local stop smoking services across the country are under threat whilst supporting the country’s ambitions to become a smoke free nation by 2030.
“As the UK’s leading vaping retailer we are supportive of the Government’s disposable vape ban but it’s important that they take on board advice and guidance to regain much-needed momentum and ensure that the country meets its targets.”
ASH Scotland celebrates 50 years of taking action of smoking and health by highlighting its collaborative community work in North Edinburgh
ASH Scotland kickstarted a series of nationwide community-focused events celebrating the charity’s 50th anniversary by highlighting its collaborative work with Pilton Community Health Project (PCHP) in raising awareness of the harms caused by tobacco, and the free support that is available from the NHS to support people aiming to give up smoking.
Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Councillor Robert Aldridge, Foysol Choudhury MSP along with Edinburgh City Councillors Tim Pogson and Max Mitchell attended the celebration.
Founded in 1973 by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, ASH Scotland is one of four Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) charities, which were initially one UK-wide organisation and became independent of each other in 1993.
ASH Scotland’s headquarters are located on Frederick Street in the city centre and, as part of its engagement work, the charity offers information, training and support to help community groups and charities operating in communities in Edinburgh, across Lothian and throughout Scotland to tackle the use of tobacco and related products.
Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Councillor Robert Aldridge, said: “I’m delighted on behalf of the city of Edinburgh to congratulate ASH Scotland for reaching 50 years and delivering successful work taking action on smoking and health.
“We all hope Scotland will soon become tobacco-free and I’d particularly like to commend ASH Scotland on its work to prevent future generations growing up from addiction to tobacco and related products.”
Former MP, MSP and Health MinisterMalcolm Chisholm, a PCHP Board member, said: “It’s great to get together to celebrate 50 years of ASH Scotland and the charity’s amazing work in partnership with Pilton Community Health Project who, next year, will commemorate our 40th anniversary.
“ASH Scotland is a community wellbeing partner for our project, and we have shared origins with Sir John Crofton being instrumental in founding both organisations.
“At PCHP we work to address health inequalities, both social circumstances and behaviours such as smoking where there are much higher rates in the most deprived areas compared to the least disadvantaged. NHS Lothian has an important role in offering smoking cessation services, and project like ours, which has close relationships with communities, are also vital in encouraging local people to take steps towards better health.
“We very much look to ASH Scotland to continue to point the way forwards for all the actions that are needed to deliver a tobacco-free Scotland.”
Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive of ASH Scotland, said: “Pilton Community Health Project, the oldest community health project in Scotland, was an ideal location to celebrate ASH Scotland’s 50th anniversary as both organisations have a shared heritage in the form of the late Sir John Crofton, a world leader in respiratory medicine who was a key figure in starting the charity, and his wife Dr Eileen Crofton, who became our first Director.
“Working in communities to support pioneering organisations such as PCHP in Pilton along with NHS in Scotland’s Quit Your Way services is a priority for ASH Scotland as we seek to raise much-needed awareness about the expert person-centred advice that is freely available from qualified health professionals to support people to quit smoking and help Scotland progress towards becoming a tobacco-free generation.”
Anyone with the goal of giving up smoking can contact a Quit Your Way adviser by calling the free helpline on 0800 848484 or create a quit plan at:
UK Government seeks views on adding pack inserts to tobacco products to encourage smokers to quit
Pack inserts are used internationally including in Canada and Israel, and proven to encourage people to give up smoking
Initial report on the Major Conditions Strategy to be published today
The UK government will seek views on adding pack inserts into tobacco products to encourage more smokers to quit as it launches a new consultation today.
Placed inside the packaging of cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco, they would contain positive messages to encourage people to quit and signpost them to advice and support.
The messages set out the health benefits of quitting – for example, improvements to breathing within a matter of days and a 50% reduction in the risk of heart attack within a year – as well as showing smokers how much money they stand to save by giving up, with the average person likely to save over £2,000 per year if they quit.
Smoking remains the single leading preventable cause of illness and mortality in the UK. It results in nearly 4% of all hospital admissions each year – equivalent to almost 450,000 admissions. Tobacco-related harms are also estimated to cost taxpayers an estimated £21 billion every year, including over £2 billion in costs to the NHS.
Although smoking rates in the UK are at an all-time low, by taking further action, the government will seek to cut waiting lists and reduce the burden on the NHS. Introducing pack inserts into all tobacco products in the UK could lead to an additional 30,000 smokers giving up their habit – delivering health benefits worth £1.6 billion.
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “Smoking places a huge burden on the NHS, economy and individuals. It directly causes a whole host of health problems – including cancers and cardiovascular disease – and costs the economy billions every year in lost productivity.
By taking action to reduce smoking rates and pursuing our ambition to be smokefree by 2030, we will reduce the pressure on the NHS and help people to live healthier lives.”
The consultation – which opens today – will seek views on the introduction and design of pack inserts.
Pack inserts are already used in other countries – including Canada and Israel, with Australia also announcing its intention to introduce them – and there is evidence that they can be an effective means of encouraging smokers to quit.
An evaluation of the policy’s impact in Canada found that almost 1 in 3 smokers had read the inserts at least once in the past month, and that those who were exposed to the inserts multiple times were significantly more likely to try to give up smoking.
The consultation builds on a recent package of measures designed to drive the government’s ambition to be smokefree by 2030 – which means reducing smoking rates to 5% or less.
These measures include:
Funding a new national ‘swap to stop’ scheme – the first of its kind in the world – to offer a million smokers across England a free vaping starter kit, alongside expert support
Launching a financial incentive scheme – in the form of vouchers alongside behavioural support – to support pregnant women to stop smoking, with an aim to reach all pregnant smokers by the end of next year
A new strategy to combat illicit tobacco, which will outline efforts to catch and punish those involved in the illegal market
Deborah Arnott, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), said: “Smoking is very addictive, and it takes smokers on average thirty attempts before they succeed in stopping, so encouraging them to keep on trying is vital.
“Pack inserts do this by backing up the grim messages about death and disease on the outside with the best advice about how to quit on the inside.
“They will help deliver not just the Smokefree 2030 ambition, but also the Major Conditions Strategy, as smoking is responsible for all six major conditions from cancer to cardiovascular and respiratory disease, as well as dementia, mental ill health and musculoskeletal disorders.”
The consultation launch comes as the government publishes an initial report on its Major Conditions Strategy – which covers the six groups of conditions accounting for 60% of all ill-health and early death in England.
One in four people in England live with two or more major long-term conditions, and the initial report sets out the direction for the strategy to tackle these groups of conditions – cancers, cardiovascular diseases (including stroke and diabetes), musculoskeletal disorders, mental ill health, dementia and chronic respiratory conditions.
This includes by addressing key risk factors and lifestyle drivers of ill-health and disease, including smoking, which is a direct contributor to all six groups of conditions covered by the strategy. For example, it is the biggest cause of cancer, with one in every five cancer deaths in England connected to smoking.
A world leader in reducing smoking rates, UK levels are currently at their lowest on record at 13.3%. But across the UK, 1 in 7 adults still smoke – around 6.6 million people – and the impacts on the NHS and economy are significant.
Tobacco also costs the economy in England an estimated £14 billion in lost productivity every year, due to lost earnings, unemployment and early deaths. The average smoker stands to save approximately £2,000 per year from giving up their habit.
Pregnant women will also be offered financial incentives to help them quit as part of a sweeping package of measures to cut smoking rates in England
One million smokers will be encouraged to swap cigarettes for vapes under a pioneering new “swap to stop” scheme designed to improve the health of the nation and cut smoking rates.
As part of the world-first national scheme, almost one in five of all smokers in England will be provided with a vape starter kit alongside behavioural support to help them quit the habit as part of a series of new measures to help the government meet its ambition of being smokefree by 2030 – reducing smoking rates to 5% or less. Local authorities will be invited to take part in the scheme later this year and will design a scheme which suits its needs, including deciding which populations to prioritise.
In a speech today, Health Minister Neil O’Brien will also announce that following the success of local schemes, pregnant women will be offered financial incentives to help them stop smoking. This will involve offering vouchers, alongside behavioural support, to all pregnant women who smoke by the end of next year.
The government will also consult on introducing mandatory cigarette pack inserts with positive messages and information to help people to quit smoking.
Additionally, there will be a crackdown on illicit vape sales as part of measures to stop children and non-smokers take up the habit – which is growing in popularity among young people.
Health Minister Neil O’Brien will say: “Up to two out of three lifelong smokers will die from smoking. Cigarettes are the only product on sale which will kill you if used correctly.
“We will offer a million smokers new help to quit. We will be funding a new national ‘swap to stop’ scheme – the first of its kind in the world. We will work with councils and others to offer a million smokers across England a free vaping starter kit.”
The new policies will deliver the UK Government’s three aims to help more adults quit smoking, stop children and non-smokers from taking up vaping, and using vaping as a tool for established adult smokers to quit.
For those who quit, the risk of heart attack is halved after one year of quitting, ultimately halving the likelihood of ending up in a hospital bed or worse.
Supporting more women to have a smokefree pregnancy will reduce the number of babies born underweight or underdeveloped with health problems requiring neonatal and ongoing care. It will also reduce the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth.
Cutting smoking rates reduces the number of smoking-related illnesses needing to be treated, in turn reducing the pressure on the NHS, helping to deliver on our priority to cut NHS waiting lists.
NHS figures for 2021 showed that 9% of 11- to 15-year-old children used e-cigarettes, up from 6% in 2018.
In recognition of the sharp increase, Minister O’Brien will launch a Call for Evidence on youth vaping to identify opportunities to reduce the number of children accessing and using vape products – and explore where government can go further.
Working with enforcement agencies and learning from the government’s work with Trading Standards on illicit tobacco, £3 million of new funding will also be provided to create a specialised ‘illicit vapes enforcement squad’ to enforce the rules on vaping and tackle illicit vapes and underage sales.
As part of the measures, HMRC and Border Force will also be publishing an updated strategy this year to tackle illicit tobacco. It will lay out strategically how we continue to target, catch and punish those involved in the illicit tobacco market.
Smoking prevalence in England in 2021 was 13% – the lowest on record thanks to measures such as doubling duty on cigarettes since 2010 and continued funding to local stop smoking services
In 2021-22, £68 million of public health grant funded was spent on stop smoking services by local authorities and nearly 100,000 people quit with the support of a stop smoking service.
In addition, £35 million has been committed to the NHS this year so that all smokers admitted to hospital will be offered NHS-funded tobacco treatment services.
However, 5.4 million people in England smoke tobacco which remains the single biggest cause of preventable illness and death. Up to two out of three lifelong smokers will die from smoking and recent data shows one in four deaths from all cancers were estimated to be from smoking.
Last year an independent smoking review led by Javed Khan proposed a range of measures to help people stub out the addiction, which has informed the measures set out today.
Its #NoSmokingDay next week! Pilton Community Health Project would love to hear your stories of quitting, trying to quit, successfully quitting …. call us on 0131 551 1571 or email Dawn on dawnanderson@pchp.org.uk to book in for lunch with us and @ASHScotland@QYWLothian@NHS_Lothian …
Health charity urges Scottish Government to increase cessation support for Scotland’s 730,000 smokers
ASH Scotland is urging the Scottish Government to boost specialist cessation services for the estimated 730,000 Scots who smoke, after it emerged that quit smoking attempts have dropped by more than a third compared to the year before the COVID-19 pandemic started.
The latest annual NHS Stop Smoking Services Scotland report (April 2021 to March 2022) published by Public Health Scotland today (Tuesday 21 February 2023) reveals there were 31,359 quit smoking attempts, around 17,000 fewer than the 48,749 in 2019/20.
With smoking continuing to cause 100,000 hospitalisations and 9,000 deaths in Scotland each year, and the 2034 target for the country to be tobacco-free on track to be missed by an estimated 16 years, ASH Scotland says it is vitally important that the Scottish Government and health boards consider the promotion and expansion of the country’s smoking cessation services as top priorities.
Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive of the health charity ASH Scotland, said: “It is alarming that these latest figures show stop smoking attempts with NHS support have fallen for the 10th consecutive year and by almost 75% since the peak of 121,385 attempts in 2011/12.
“At a time when the health service is under considerable pressure and smoking continues to be the biggest preventable cause of illness and death, swift action is required by the Scottish Government and health boards to ensure NHS Quit Your Way services are promoted and better resourced to reach more of the two-thirds of Scots who smoke and want to quit.
“Quit Your Way services, which provide specialist person-centred smoking cessation support, must be boosted as a matter of urgency to continue their critical role helping people who have the highest smoking rates, such as those living in our most deprived communities, and experiencing mental health problems, to leave tobacco behind.”
ASH Scotland research suggests that smoking prevalence for people experiencing mental health problems in Scotland’s poorest communities is between 40 to 50 per cent, comparable to the country’s general population smoking rates of the mid-1970s.
People aiming to give up smoking can call Quit Your Way’s free helpline on 0800 84 84 84 or create a quit plan at www.QuitYourWay.scot.
ASH Scotland’s Closing the Inequality Gap: Smoking and Mental Health report, published in 2022, can be downloaded at www.ashscotland.org.uk/mentalhealth
