Make No Smoking Day 2023 the day you quit for good - you’ve got what it takes!

No Smoking Day falls this year on Wednesday 8th March 2023!

Fun facts about quitting smoking:

• Quitting smoking protects your brain health and reduces your chances of dementia

• You’re 3 times as likely to successfully quit if you get support

• Your GP and pharmacist can offer advice and tips on how to quit smoking

• It’s never too late to quit - your health and wellbeing will improve as soon as you stop smoking, even if you’re already sick from it

• Smokers spend roughly £47 a week on tobacco, that’s nearly £2500 a year saved once you quit

• Quitting smoking can add ass much as 10 years onto your life expectancy

The links between smoking and dementia

Smokers have an increased risk of dementia, quitting can substantially reduce this risk. Up to 4 in 10 cases of dementia could be linked to health, lifestyle and environmental risk factors - quitting smoking ranks the 3rd most significant modifiable risk factor.

The World Health Organisation Knowledge (WHO) Summary on Tobacco and Dementia explains many of the reasons linking dementia with smoking. These include the fact that the two most common types of dementia - Alzheimer’s disease and Vascular dementia - have both been linked to problems with the vascular system (your heart and blood vessels).

Smoking increases the risk of vascular problems, including strokes or smaller bleeds in the brain, which are also risks for dementia. As well as this, toxins in cigarette smoke cause inflammation and stress to cells, which has been linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. The WHO estimates that 14% of Alzheimer’s cases around the world could be attributable to smoking.

Every time you quit, you’re closer to success!

It’s estimated that the average smoker quits smoking 30 times before they quit for good. Less that 40% of smokers try to quit every year, and around 1/4 of these will succeed. However, many more smokers are thinking about quitting or trying to cut down. Every attempt to quit should be seen as making progress. Never give up giving up!

It’s never too late to quit and feel the benefits of better health – that’s our message to smokers ahead of #NoSmokingDay. From reducing the risk of at least 16 cancers, stroke, COPD & dementia, a smoker's health improves from the moment of quitting. Visit www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/ #TodayIsTheDay

For more information on how to quit smoking and to find your local stop smoking service visit: