No Smoking Day
No Smoking Day took place on Wednesday 11 March 2026. Read more about our campaign, and the benefits that can be gained by quitting smoking.
The theme is 'Quit and Win' and we encouraged people who smoke to quit and win with their physical health, mental wellbeing and personal finances when they leave tobacco behind.
No Smoking Day took place on 11 March 2026
Physical health
Your health starts to improve within hours of stopping smoking.
After 20 minutes, your heart rate and blood pressure drops.
After 12 hours, the level of carbon dioxide in your blood returns to normal.
After two weeks to three months, your lung function and circulation improve.
After nine months, coughs and shortness of breath decreases and your lungs are recovering.
After one year, your risk of coronary heart disease is halved.
After five years, your risk of many types of cancer is reduced.
Personal finances
We've calculated how much you could save if you quit!*
If you smoke the average amount of cigarettes a day (11.3) you could save
After one week: £52
After one month: £225
After six months: £1,351
* based on the cheapest packet of cigarettes
Mental wellbeing
Everyone has personal reasons for stopping smoking, and the benefits can be substantial, including for your mental wellbeing.
As we get older, many of us also consider how much time we have left with our loved ones. We talked to Fran who shared her story about why she decided to quit smoking. To motivate her to stop smoking, Fran wrote her grandchildren's names on each cigarette.
You can listen to her story here.
Support our 2026 No Smoking Day campaign
We're looking for people to help us spread the message for No Smoking Day 2026. If you or someone you know has given up smoking, we want to hear their insights and advice. Get in touch below or share this with your community.
Our social media toolkit, digital assets and A4 poster are still available here.
#NSD26
Supporting people who want to quit
Around two-thirds of people in Scotland who smoke want to live a tobacco-free life.
For No Smoking Day, we want to signpost people who may need some help to give up smoking to Scotland's national person-centred Quit Your Way service.
- Quit Your Way is a free NHS Scotland service that can provide support and advice on how to stop smoking.
- Quit Your Way advisors are available to talk on the phone or via webchat.
- People who want to quit can also visit local pharmacies to get advice and plan how to overcome cravings.
Successful stop smoking stories
We're asking people to share their stop smoking stories to help inspire others who want to quit.
Click below to read this year's stories from Jackie Dunbar MSP and Provost Anthea Dickson or submit your own!