Stop Smoking

Local stop smoking services (also known as smoking cessation) are free, friendly and can help increase your chances of quitting for good.

Find stop smoking services

• You can find stop smoking services in Stoke-on-Trent
  • Quit Smoking Stoke-on-Trent
• You can find stop smoking services in Staffordshire
  • Stop Smoking with Everyone Health
  • Stop smoking in pregnancy with Everyone Health
• You can find out about stopping smoking services on the NHS website
• You can also Find stop smoking services in England
• Call the free Smokefree National Helpline on 0300 123 1044

You can contact your local stop smoking service to make an appointment with an adviser, and you can discuss your medical circumstances and stopping smoking with your GP, pharmacist or health visitor.

Facts about smoking

• Tobacco smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals, at least 70 of them are known to cause cancer
• Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death worldwide, killing more than 8 million people annually
• Nicotine is highly addictive, often compared to heroin or cocaine in its ability to cause dependence
• Smoking increases your risk of heart disease, stroke (4 times more likely than that of a non-smoker) and lung cancer significantly (85%)
• More likely to develop type 2 diabetes
• Second-hand smoke is also deadly, causing about 1.2millin deaths per year globally
• Children of non-smokers are less likely to start smoking
• The average smoker spends £3,332 per year on cigarettes
• Smoking damages nearly every organ in the body, not just the lungs
• Cigarette smokers are 15-30 times more likely to get lung cancer than non-smoker
• Smoking reduces fertility in both men and women
• It weakens the immune system, making you more vulnerable to infections
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of birth defects, miscarriage and low birth weight
• Tobacco kills half its users
• Smoking increases wrinkles and premature aging of the skin
• Smokers are at a higher risk of developing gum disease and tooth loss
• Smoking contributes to mental health issues, including anxiety and depression despite many smokers believing it relieves stress
• Tobacco farming contributes to deforestation and environmental damage in many regions
• Smoker pay higher insurance premiums
• Half of all smokers will die early losing on average 10 years of life

Facts about stopping smoking

• Quitting smoking reduces your risk of heart attack within 24 hours
• After 2-12 weeks, your circulation improves and lung function increases
• After a year of quitting, your risk of coronary heart disease drops by 50%
• 10 years after quitting, your lung cancer risk drops to half that of a smoker
• 15 years after quitting, your risk of heart disease is similar to that of a non-smoker
• Giving up smoking could save you £3,332 per year
• More than half of smokers wish to quit
• Withdrawal symptoms peak within the first week, but usually subside in 2-4 weeks
• Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)- like patches, gum, or lozenge- can double your chances of quitting
• Quitting saves a lot of money: the average smoker spends thousands annually on cigarettes
• Former smokers experience improved senses of tastes and smell within days of quitting
• Sleep improves after quitting
• Ex-smokers experience less stress overall, once withdrawal is complete
• Support by a trained specialist increase success rates. NRT or Vape plus support quadruple your success rate in quitting
• Tried quitting before don’t worry your not alone, any quit attempt is a step closer to success
• Cravings usually last 5-10 minutes, NRT and/or vapes can help you see these cravings out
• Your lungs can start to repair themselves as soon as you quit
• No matter how long you have smoked, quitting has immediate and long-term benefits
•  Smoke Free homes have a cleaner environment, no smoke residual on furniture, clothes, toys
• Reduce the risk of COPD
• Faster healing from wounds and infections
• More free time. Travelling is easier
• Combination NRT provide comparable treatment outcomes and are superior to bupropion and single forms of NRT. There is good evidence that EC can also be effective stopping smoking and may be superior to NRT
• NRT provides smokers with about half of the nicotine that they would normally get from smoking cigarettes, but without the tar, carbon monoxide and other harmful chemicals contained in cigarette smoke. This therapeutic nicotine helps with the withdrawal symptoms that smokers suffer from when they quit and significantly improves their chances of quitting successfully
• EC are battery powered devices that deliver an inhalable aerosol vapour to the user via a mouthpiece. The vapour is produced by heating a solution that typically contains nicotine, propylene glycol and/or vegetable glycerine, plus flavours. The vaping liquids which contain nicotine work in a similar way to NRT by replacing some of the nicotine individuals would have received from smoking. It helps to relieve withdrawal symptoms and reduces urges to smoke. Vaping devices tend to deliver nicotine more rapidly than NRT and replicate the ‘hand to mouth’ action and ‘feeling of smoking’; as such they are popular among smokers to aid quit attempts. For short term use only (12 weeks) to aid a quit attempt

National Campaign Days

No Smoking Day: Held annually on the second Wednesday of March, this UK-focused day encourages smokers to take the first step toward quitting by highlighting the health benefits of a smoke-free life. The next No Smoking Day is 11 March 2026.

World No Tobacco Day: An international day on May 31, initiated by the World Health Organization (WHO), to raise awareness about the harms of tobacco use. 

Stoptober: A specific challenge or campaign that encourages smokers to quit for 28 days in October.