No Smoking Day
On Wednesday 13 March 2024 we ran our annual No Smoking Day campaign by showcasing the benefits that can be gained by quitting smoking.
We thank everyone who took part in the #NSD24 conversations on our social media channels and helped our 'Quit and win' campaign to reach many people across Scotland who are looking for encouragement to leave tobacco behind.
No Smoking Day took place on 13 March 2024
Health and fitness
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.
Finances
We've calculated how much you could save if you quit!*
If you smoke the average amount of cigarettes a day (12) you could save
After one week: £47
After one month: £208
After six months: £1,250
* based on the cheapest packet of cigarettes
Family
Everyone has personal reasons for stopping smoking, and the benefits can be substantial not just for you, but also for the people around you.
Second-hand smoke can increase the risk of lung cancer for people who don't smoke by 30%.
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.
#NSD24
Support for No Smoking Day
We thank everyone who helped us spread awareness by supporting our 'Quit and win' campaign on No Smoking Day by downloading our toolkit, which included engaging graphics and key messages for sharing in #NSD24 conversations on social media channels.
You can find, below, a range of our 'Quit and win' campaign videos, images and A4 posters.
Download assets for Facebook
Download assets for Twitter/X
Download assets for Instagram
Download A4 Posters
Supporting people who want to quit
Around two-thirds of people in Scotland who smoke want to live a tobacco-free life.
On No Smoking Day, we signposted 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 asked people to share their stop smoking stories to help inspire others who want to quit.
Karen Adams, MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, told us about taking on the challenge of giving up smoking.
Todd Ferguson, a North Ayrshire Councillor, talked about the differences he sees now that he has quit tobacco.
Click the buttons below to read their stories.