BURNING MONEY: How much you could be saving per year by giving up smoking
Giving up a pack of cigarettes a day could save you up to £4,197 a year – the price of a family holiday abroad.
Cutting out that weekly pack of cigarettes could save you £598 a year, or £2,991 over five years.
Quitting for good could save you up to £41,975 over ten years – equivalent to a 20% deposit on a new home.
You could be saving up to £4,197 a year by giving up a pack of cigarettes a day according to new research, with savings of £598 a year for less frequent smokers.
Vaping experts over at IndeJuice calculated how much money you could be saving based on the average UK cost for a pack of 20 cigarettes over various timespans. They broke down how much you would save throughout your lifetime if you kicked the habit for good, as well as comparing what you could be spending the money on instead.
The research reveals that if you are smoking one pack of cigarettes per day at the average UK cost of £11.50 per pack, you would save £334.58 per month or £4,197 over the course of a year by quitting – the cost of a family holiday abroad for four people, the cost of running your car for ten years or paying for 11 years’ worth of gym memberships.
Someone who regularly smokes a full pack of cigarettes a day can expect to see staggering savings in the long run – banking up to £41,975 over ten years from quitting smoking. This is the equivalent of a 20% deposit on a £200,000 property, the price of a Porsche Cayman or nearly a kilogram of 24 carat gold.
For people who are only smoking a couple of cigarettes a day, the cost can still quickly add up. If you are smoking just one pack of cigarettes a week at the same average cost, you could still make savings of £598 a year, or £2,991 in your pocket over the next five years.
The money saved by quitting for one year, could cover the cost of a three-course meal for you and your significant other 11 times a year, the cost of nine weekly food shops or seven annual Netflix subscriptions.
A spokesperson from IndeJuice added: “Many smokers are already aware of the harm imposed on their body by regularly smoking, but it is easy to overlook the financial savings that could be made by choosing to quit for good.
“When looking at Google Trends data over the past five years, there has been a significant increase in people searching the term ‘quit smoking’ year on year, with the exception of 2021 where there was a 2.3% decrease in searches from the previous year.
“As we emerge out of the pandemic, it is important that we continue to reflect on the health benefits of quitting for good, and the long-term savings offer an additional incentive to do so.”
A new film from the UK government Better Health Smoke Free campaign has been released to discuss how adult smoker can influence younger people
Experts warn that teenagers whose parents smoke are likely to copy them in adulthood
New film features health experts discussing how adult smokers can act as role models
NHS support offered to smokers – in particular parents, carers and other adults – to encourage them to quit in the new year
Top medical experts have warned that teens whose parents or caregivers smoked are FOUR TIMES as likely to have taken up smoking.
Analysis has also shown that early teens whose main caregiver smoked were more than twice as likely to have tried cigarettes (26% vs 11% ) and four times as likely to be a regular smoker (4.9% vs 1.2%).
A new government Better Health Smoke Free campaign has launched as leading family doctors warn of the issues facing the children of smokers – and calls on people to help prevent this by quitting in January.
In a new film released today, NHS and behavioural health experts discuss the link between adult smoking and the likelihood of children in their household becoming smokers. This includes family GP Dr Nighat Arif, child psychologist Dr Bettina Hohnen, and smoking cessation experts Professor Nick Hopkinson and Dr Anthony Laverty of Imperial College London, who have called on parents in particular to give up smoking in the new year in order to set a good example to their children.
Maggie Throup MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for Vaccines and Public Health, explained why the campaign is launching now: “We know that many people make a quit attempt in January, and while there are so many good reasons to stop smoking for yourself, we hope that this new campaign – by highlighting the inter-generational smoking link with parents influencing their children – will be the added motivation many need to ditch the cigarettes for good this year.
“With so much help and support available for parents, carers and anyone looking to quit – including the NHS Quit Smoking app, support on Facebook, daily emails and texts, and an online Personal Quit Plan – you won’t be alone in your New Year’s resolution.”
Recent research from NatCen Social Research has also shown children aged 10-15 were more likely to smoke if either their mother or father currently smoked. Children were also more likely to smoke if either parent had smoked in the past, even if they were not a current smoker.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer and joint lead for the Office for Health Improvement and Disparity, Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy said: “Smoking is terrible for your health but it also has a negative impact on people around you.
“Most people know the dangers of second smoke but we should not overlook the impact that parents have as role models. Every parent wants what is best for their child and will not want them to become smokers.
“By stopping smoking now, parents can help break the pattern of smoking in their family across the generations, protect their children and improve their own health.”
The film forms part of the Better Health Smoke Free campaign from the new Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) in the Department of Health and Social Care, and aims to give smokers a strong motivation to quit in January, offering free and proven NHS resources and advice.
The campaign comes as the most recent data from the Office for National Statistics shows that one in eight adults in England still smokes. There has been a complex picture of smoking patterns since the pandemic, with high rates of quitting but also high levels of relapse and signs of a rise in smoking rates among younger adults.
Professor Nick Hopkinson of Imperial College London said: “Our research findings are clear – adult smoking has a tangible impact on children. Children whose caregivers smoke are four times as likely to take up smoking themselves.
“The most effective way to help prevent this would be for adults to quit smoking – clearly not only does this have enormous benefits for them but it will also benefit their children both now and in later life.”
Dr Bettina Hohnen explains how parents’ behaviours can have a huge impact on their children’s’: “Even if we don’t directly expose children to second-hand smoke, or believe we are hiding our smoking by not smoking directly in front of them, it can still have a major impact and children can pick up the behaviour without you even being aware you’d had an influence.
“Children copy their parents’ and carers’ behaviours, so it’s important to model the behaviour you want from your child – or we can pass on behaviours without even realising. Actions really do speak louder than words, so if you don’t smoke, you will significantly reduce the chances of them taking up smoking in the future.
Family GP Dr Nighat Arif has first-hand experience of helping smokers in her general practice: “One in eight adults in England still smokes, and it remains the leading preventable cause of premature death.
“Stopping smoking is one of the best things you will ever do for your health, and it’s never too late to quit. If you want to quit smoking for your family or for your own health this January, you’re not alone. The Better Health campaign provides tons of proven support and resources from the NHS which can help you quit for good.”
Georgina from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, is 35 and stopped smoking in January 2021 after being a smoker since she was only 16. Her nephews inspired her to quit: “After 15 years of smoking I took the decision to quit because I really didn’t want to pass the habit on to the children in my life.
“I was totally unaware at first, but over time I noticed that my 7- and 4-year-old nephews were watching me smoke. I am a big influence in their lives so obviously I was worried they’d one day pick up smoking too.
“In the end I quit smoking – both for my own health but for my nephews as well. When I felt ready to start my stop smoking journey, I turned to the Better Health website, and looked at the different resources they had available to help me build confidence and give myself the best possible chance of quitting.”
The Better Health campaign gives access to a range of free quitting support and tools including free expert help from local Stop Smoking Services, the NHS Quit Smoking app, Facebook messenger bot, Stoptober Facebook online communities, daily emails and SMS, and an online Personal Quit Plan.
Search “Smoke Free” for free and proven quit smoking tools and advice on different types of support, nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) and e-cigarettes, to help you quit smoking.
Giving up smoking is not something you have to do on your own!
Contact Quit Your Way for free advice and support to help stub out the addiction. With specialist support and medication you are 4 times more likely to be successful in quitting.
Visit tinyurl.com/qywlothian and self-refer through the green “click to be contacted” button.
New stop smoking campaign urges people to quit now
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Lothian, have partnered together to support those who wish to quit smoking, by launching a new campaign; ‘Don’t Wait’.
Smoking remains a leading cause of preventable disease and premature death in Scotland, and this joint campaign between Scotland’s three largest health boards focuses on the harms smoking can cause and the range of free NHS stop smoking services available to help stub out the addiction.
The campaign features NHS respiratory consultant, Dr Colin Church, emphasising it’s never too late to see the benefits that come from quitting smoking. Watch the video here.
Robbie Preece, Tobacco Control Programme Manager, NHS Lothian, added: “Working across the three largest boards in Scotland allows us to share resources and we’re aiming to have a larger impact with this campaign.
“We are offering telephone and video support, and relaying the key message that quitting smoking is the single most important thing you can do to improve your health.”
Geraldine Lucas, Tobacco Control Lead, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: “Working in partnership with colleagues across the central belt will allow us to raise the profile of our Quit Your Way stop smoking services which have continued to offer information, advice and support, including nicotine replacement therapy or Champix to people who smoke throughout the pandemic.
“Smoking tobacco damages the lungs and airways causing a range of severe respiratory problems and right now, more than ever, we want to encourage all people who smoke to give quitting a go.”
Shirley Mitchell, Tobacco Control Programme Manager, NHS Lanarkshire commented: “It’s inspiring to see that people are still looking to quit smoking, during such challenging times.
“We have adapted our services, in line within coronavirus restrictions, to be able to continue to support not only those looking to quit, but also their family members and anyone who has queries in regards to stopping smoking.
“Through partnership working, we will be in a much stronger position to raise awareness of this free NHS service available.”
Smoking is linked to many illnesses and long-term conditions, substantially increasing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, stroke and cancer.
Quit Your Way is a free NHS stop smoking service. To find out more about the stop smoking services and to access the best support to quit in your area, call the Quit Your Way helpline service on 0800 84 84 84 or visit QuitYourWay.scot.
Quit Your Way can be contacted Monday – Friday from 9am until 5pm.
You can also visit your local Community Pharmacy for FREE stop smoking support.
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion and Education at Heart Research UK
Make a plan to stop smoking
Although rates of smoking have decreased in the UK in recent years, approximately 6.9 million people over the age of 18 are smokers. Smoking harms almost all organs in the body and it is a leading cause of preventable death.
Smoking can damage your heart and blood vessels, which increases your risk of having a heart attack. Quitting smoking can be difficult, but it is an important step for reducing your risk of heart disease. We provide some tips to help you stop smoking.
List the reasons to stop smoking
If you want to stop smoking, an effective and simple thing you can do to stay on track is to write a list of the reasons why you wish to quit smoking. Whenever you feel the urge to smoke, you can read this list and it should inspire you to keep going.
Decide when to stop
As soon as you stop smoking, your risk of heart disease will reduce. The sooner you decide to quit the better. Choose a date within the next two weeks. If you leave it too long, you will give yourself time to change your mind.
Make a plan
Make a plan to quit smoking and ask your friends, family and co-workers for their support. Identify triggers that make you want to smoke and work out how you will overcome them in advance. For example, if you usually smoke during your break at work, plan to go for a walk instead.
Manage your cravings
Cigarette cravings are intense urges to smoke and they can last for 5 minutes. Quitting smoking requires a huge amount of willpower. When you get a craving, try to distract yourself for 5-10 minutes until it passes. You could try planning a healthy dinner or plan a route for a cycle ride or a walk. Once the craving has passed, you can give yourself a pat on the back.
Get support
Getting support to stop smoking can increase your chances of success. You could try contacting your local Stop Smoking Services or chatting to your GP. You could also seek advice from a friend or family member who has successfully stopped smoking or someone who is also trying to quit. You could also consider using a stop smoking aid, such as nicotine patches, gums, lozenges or nazal sprays to help stop the cravings.
You can get further support with stopping smoking from the NHS:
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
SMOKING
In the UK around 6.9 million people over the age of 18 smoke. Although rates of smoking have decreased in recent years, the number of people who smoke remains high.
Smoking harms almost all organs in the body and it is the leading cause of preventable deaths in England. Smoking can damage your blood vessels and heart, which increases your risk of having a heart attack.
Quitting smoking can be very difficult, but it is an important step for reducing your risk of heart disease. We provide some tips for stopping smoking below.
List your reasons for stopping smoking
If you are trying to quit smoking, an effective and simple thing you can do to stay on track is to write a list of the reasons why you wish to quit smoking. Whenever you feel the urge to smoke, you can read this list and it should inspire you to keep going.
Decide a time
As soon as you stop smoking, your risk of heart disease will reduce. The sooner you decide to quit the better. Try to choose a date within the next two weeks. If you leave it too long, you will give yourself time to change your mind.
Make a plan for when you quit
Make a plan to quit smoking and ask your friends, family and co-workers for their support. Identify the triggers that make you feel like smoking and work out how to deal with them in advance. For example, if you hang around with other people who smoke, you could plan to spend more time with non-smokers or do smoke-free activities with friends who are smokers.
If you usually smoke during your break at work, plan to go for a walk instead. Dealing with cigarette withdrawal can be tough and it can lead to you feeling emotional and upset. Before quitting, ask people to be patient and understanding and remind yourself that these feelings are temporary.
Distract yourself when you get cravings
Cigarette cravings are intense urges to smoke. Quitting smoking requires a huge amount of willpower. Cigarette cravings are temporary and they can last for 5 minutes. To avoid giving in to cigarette cravings, try to distract yourself for 5-10 minutes. You could try doing some physical activity or a bit of housework, do a bit of colouring in or planning a healthy dinner. Once the craving has passed, you can give yourself a pat on the back.
You could also consider using a stop smoking aid, such as nicotine patches, gums, lozenges or nasal sprays to help stop the cravings.
Get support to stop smoking
There is a lot of support available for people who want to stop smoking. Getting support with stopping smoking can increase your chances of success. You could try contacting your local Stop Smoking Services or chatting to your GP. If you know someone who is also trying to quit smoking, you could offer to support each other. You could also seek advice from a friend or family member who has successfully stopped smoking.
You can get further support with stopping smoking and a free Personal Quit Plan from the NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/smokefree.
The World Health Organization has launched a new kit for school students aged 13-17 to alert them to the tobacco industry tactics used to hook them to addictive products.
Every year the tobacco industry invests more than USD 9 billion to advertise its products. Increasingly, it is targeting young people with nicotine and tobacco products in a bid to replace the 8 million people that its products kill every year.
This year’s WHO’s World No Tobacco Day (31 May) campaign focuses on protecting children and young people from exploitation by the tobacco and related industry.
The toolkit has a set of classroom activities including one that puts the students in the shoes of the tobacco industry to make them aware of how the industry tries to manipulate them into using deadly products. It also includes an educational video, myth-buster quiz, and homework assignments.
The toolkit exposes tactics such as parties and concerts hosted by the tobacco and related industries, e-cigarette flavours that attract youth like bubble-gum and candy, e-cigarette representatives presenting in schools, and product placement in popular youth streaming shows.
Even during a global pandemic, the tobacco and nicotine industry persist by pushing products that limit people’s ability to fight coronavirus and recover from the disease. The industry has offered free branded masks and delivery to your door during quarantine and has lobbied for their products to be listed as ‘essential’.
Smoking suffocates the lungs and other organs, starving them of the oxygen they need to develop and function properly.
“Educating youth is vital because nearly 9 out of 10 smokers start before age 18. We want to provide young people with the knowledge to speak out against tobacco industry manipulation,” said Ruediger Krech, Director for Health Promotion at WHO.
Over 40 million young people aged 13-15 have already started to use tobacco. To reach Generation Z, WHO launched a TikTok dance challenge and welcomed social media partners like Pinterest, Tinder, YouTube and TikTok to amplify messaging.
WHO calls on all sectors to help stop marketing tactics of tobacco and related industries that prey on children and young people:
Schools refuse any form of sponsorship and prohibit representatives from nicotine and tobacco companies from speaking to students
Celebrities and influencers reject all offers of sponsorship
Television and streaming services stop showing tobacco or e-cigarette use on screen
Social media platforms ban the marketing of tobacco and related products and prohibit influencer marketing
Government and financial sector divest from tobacco and related industries
Governments ban all forms of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship
Countries can protect children from industry exploitation by putting in place strict tobacco control laws, including regulating products like e-cigarettes that have already begun to hook a new generation of young people.
Emerging evidence from China shows smokers with COVID-19 are 14 times more likely to develop severe respiratory disease.
If you smoke, you are not only putting yourself at greater risk of developing severe disease from the COVID-19 virus, but those around you exposed to second hand smoke, including children, are also put at increased risk.
Smoking tobacco is known to damage the lungs and airways causing a range of severe respiratory problems. The evidence clearly shows COVID-19 virus attacks the respiratory system, which explains why smokers are at greater risk. A small but highly impactful survey from China finds that smokers with COVID-19 are 14 times more likely to develop severe disease.
In addition, the repetitive hand to mouth movement provides an easy route of entry for the virus, putting smokers at greater risk of contracting COVID-19.
Professor John Newton, Director of Health Improvement at Public Health England said: “In light of this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, there has never been a more important time to stop smoking. Not only for your own health but to protect those around you.
“It will also help alleviate the huge pressures on the NHS.
“It is never too late to quit, no matter your age.”
Once smokefree, there are very real health benefits with the body continuing to repair the longer you stay smokefree.
The more immediate benefits include:
after 48 hours carbon monoxide is eliminated from the body. Lungs start to clear out mucus and other smoking debris
after 72 hours breathing becomes easier as bronchial tubes begin to relax
after 2 to 12 weeks blood circulation improves, making physical activity like walking and running easier
To help reduce your risk of contracting the virus and developing severe disease from coronavirus, you can use the smokefree app to access advice and support on how you can best stop smoking. Search ‘Smokefree’.
