This No Smoking Day quitting 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.
It doesn’t matter how many times you have tried before – give it another try and treat previous quit attempts as stepping stones.
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.
John was at work in February 2023 when he suffered chest pains. He was rushed to hospital and told he was having a massive heart attack. John underwent surgery to have three stents fitted and afterwards the doctors told him it had been touch and go.
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.”
You 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:
- 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.
We are supporting the 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: “The benefits of quitting smoking start from the moment you stop. You can be around longer for your family, see your health improve over the weeks and months, and enjoy having more money.
“Next time you try to quit smoking you can succeed. Using quitting aids, switching to vaping or getting support from a stop smoking service can help you stop for good.”
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.
