Make a fresh quit for 2025 for better health, more money and less stress
Six out of 10 people who smoke in the North East say their life would be better if they didn’t smoke.
And six out of 10 also say they worry about dying and not being around for loved ones in the future because of smoking.
This New Year, Fresh is encouraging people who smoke to make quitting the most important resolution for better health, more money and for their family in 2025. Even if you don’t smoke every day, it is vital to try to quit and it’s the best thing you can do for your health.
New Year is the most popular time for people to try to quit – but with a bit of planning you can take a lot of the stress out of quitting. By using a quit aid like nicotine replacement therapy or prescribed medication, switching over totally to a vape or getting support from friendly, free local stop smoking services you’re much more likely to quit successfully. Quitting smoking is proven to improve health quickly, make you feel calmer within a few weeks, and can free up an extra £2,000 a year for bills or nice treats.
A survey from Fresh of over 1,300 smokers across the North East shows:
- 61% say their life would be better if they didn’t smoke
- 61% are worried at not being there for loved ones because of smoking
- 72% say they wish they’d never started smoking
- 41% say they smoke to cope with stress – but evidence shows quitting smoking is proven to make people feel calmer within a few weeks
Fresh will be running the acclaimed Smoking Survivors campaign again this December with support from North East local authorities and the NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board. The campaign will be on TV, radio, outdoor and digital channels encouraging people to make a fresh quit from December 27.
This next phase of the Smoking Survivors campaign features Debbie and Sadie, widow and daughter of Denham Thomas – a former smoker and COPD patient from Hartlepool who died in 2021. It also features Sue Mountain, from South Shields, who underwent treatment for laryngeal cancer aged 48. She talks emotionally about the worry and impact on family but with a resounding message that “you’ve got to keep trying to quit – it’s worth it!”
Ailsa Rutter OBE, Director of Fresh and Balance, said: “If you smoke, even if it’s not every day, stopping for you and your loved ones is the most amazing thing you can do for them. You can find money you never knew you had and be around longer for them to see the important things in their life.
“Don’t be put off if you’ve tried before – millions of people who have quit smoking have had those ‘bumps’ before quitting for good. Treat those as practice and believe this time it can be different.
“If you feel like quitting on the spur of the moment then go for it – but chatting to your pharmacist or local stop smoking service can also give you tools and quitting aids to take away a lot of the stress, beat the cravings and let you live your life.”
Smoking survivor Sue Mountain from South Tyneside started smoking at the age of 11 and was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer at the age of 48. She said: “Smoking doesn’t just cost you your health – you spend tens of thousands of pounds on an addiction that gives you cancer.
“You lie to yourself that you love smoking – but it’s not really that but the power of the addiction, which is horrendous. Just give it a go this New Year to quit – it’s worth it for both you and your family.
“I beat smoking – it hooked me, then tried to kill me but I took my life back. You just have to keep trying to quit and if you don’t succeed try again – it’s worth it.”
Debbie and Sadie Thomas from Hartlepool in 2021 lost their beloved husband and dad Denham from COPD – an incurable disease which destroys the lungs nearly always caused by smoking. Former smoker Denham was housebound and reliant on oxygen from his mid-50s while they watched him struggle to breathe. In the years before he died, Denham encouraged everyone he could to quit smoking.
Sadie, now 25, has talked about her dad missing out on precious moments in life such as graduating as an engineer and becoming a mum. She said: “My dad always said if he could have his time back again he would never have smoked. Now I am a mum myself I am devastated my daughter won’t ever meet her grandad and at Christmas time, that is even harder.
“Give quitting a go for your family this New Year, as well as for yourself. There’s lots of help out there to quit smoking.”
Anyone who’s looking to quit can visit FreshQuit.co.uk for tips, advice and local quit support.
The campaign is part of a commitment by all 12 North East local authorities and the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board for a smokefree future as set out in a declaration to reduce the death and disease caused by tobacco.
The new Tobacco and Vapes Bill will introduce a landmark new law to stop children who turn 14 this year, or younger, from ever legally being sold cigarettes in England, to protect future generations from taking up smoking. The move is supported by nearly three quarters of adults in the North East.
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
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.