NHS stop smoking

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The NHS provides free stop smoking support, details listed below. Most if not all of these services are free, or freely available.


Practical, quick and simple steps you can take straight away to quit smoking.

Talk to your GP

Many people don't realise that their GP can help them quit smoking. Your doctor can do a lot, such as enrolling you in a "stop smoking" clinic, and prescribing nicotine replacement therapy, such as patches and gum, or stop smoking medication such as Champix.

10 self-help tips to stop smoking

Join your local stop smoking service

Did you know that you're up to 4 times more likely to quit successfully with the help of your local stop smoking service?

Services staffed by trained stop smoking advisers are available all over the country. You can join a local group that meets once a week, or have one-to-one support if you prefer. You usually go for a few weeks and work towards a quit date.

Find your nearest NHS Stop Smoking Service, or call the Smokefree National Helpline on 0300 123 1044 to speak to a trained adviser.

Find online support

For online support including apps, communities and motivational emails, visit Better Health.

Have an emergency phone number to hand

Keep an emergency number, perhaps for your local stop smoking service or the national helpline.

"We're here on 0300 123 1044 from Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm, and Saturday and Sunday 11am to 4pm answering calls from people who are about to have a cigarette and want help not lighting up," says Chris, one of the helpline advisers. "We can talk about why you want to smoke and how to deal with your cravings."

Read more about how to cope with cravings.

Consider using a nicotine-containing product

Cigarettes are addictive, and self-control alone might not be enough for you to stop entirely.

Give yourself a better chance of success by using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). This is available on prescription from your GP, from your local stop smoking service or from a pharmacist.

You could also consider trying e-cigarettes. While they're not risk-free, they are much safer than cigarettes and can help people stop smoking.

Read more about using e-cigarettes to stop smoking.

Find your nearest NHS stop smoking service, or call 0300 123 1044.