Posted on: 22 March 2024
Established in 1984, this year marks the fortieth anniversary of No Smoking Day.
It takes place on the second Wednesday in March, and it’s an opportunity for partners across the country to unite in supporting the nation’s 5.3 million smokers to make a quit attempt.
Smoking prevalence has reduced considerably, but there is still a way to go to achieve the NHS Long Term Plan ambition of becoming a smoke-free nation by 2030.
Despite the health risks, smoking remains the single largest preventable cause of death in England.
In numbers
- Two in three smokers will die as a result of long-term smoking
- One in four hospital patients is a smoker
- Every day someone is admitted to hospital with a smoking-related disease
- In 2022-23, there was an estimated 400,000 hospital admissions due to smoking
- It’s estimated nearly 50 million cigarettes are smoked every day – around nine cigarettes a day per smoker.
What’s happening locally?
This year’s No Smoking Day encourages people to quit by offering proven NHS resources and advice. Our free stop smoking support is available for e-cig users too.
If you live in Hillingdon, Camden or Islington and would like help quitting, please click below for more information on how CNWL can help.
Often overlooked is how smoking can exacerbate other health and wellbeing problems experienced by people with a mental health condition, and how it delays recovery.
Our Stop Smoking Services in Hillingdon, as well as Breathe in Camden and Islington are actively promoting this campaign with a range of awareness events throughout this week and beyond.
Partnership working in Hillingdon
No Smoking Day started off with a visit to Arch Hillingdon, with a promotional display in the reception area. Many clients have a high prevalence of smoking and mental health presentations, in addition to drugs and alcohol.
Clients had their carbon monoxide (CO) monitored for smoking management, making appointments to attend the cessation clinic and the weekly clinic at Uxbridge library.
The team moved on to the Mountwood Surgery in Northwood where they facilitate a weekly clinic. GPs and primary care staff joined the display to promote the health campaign.
The next stop was Harefield Health Centre for an evening session, also working with GPs and primary care staff, to offer CO monitoring for staff and patients.
Our service in Hillingdon runs a weekly stop smoking clinic at Uxbridge library, so they decided to stop in and visit their regular patients. They connected with mothers who were finishing a baby class, as well as members of the public and library staff.
The last stop was Hillingdon Hospital in the outpatient’s department, where they facilitated a clinic, displaying leaflets and tar jars as well as educating people on the dangers of smoking.
It was a successful day with lots of engagement with patients, the public and partners, resulting in referrals to the service.
Young people and vaping
Hillingdon School Nursing Service hosted an online information session, with important takeaways on how to help young people better understand the health impacts of vaping.
Watch back the session here.
Breathe – No Smoking Day Round Up
Camden and Islington’s Stop Smoking Service, Breathe, had a busy week promoting No Smoking Day across a variety of venues in the community.
The team visited Whittington Hospital to start off their health promotions. Speaking to members of the public, they offered guidance to potential quitters, raised awareness of the support available, and offered readings to educate people on how smoking can affect your carbon monoxide levels. Later in the day, stop smoking advisor Marcella visited the maternity ward in the hospital to provide information about the effects of smoking during pregnancy to visitors.
he following day Breathe spent the morning spread across the borough of Camden. They visited CNWL Headquarters, holding a stall and offering advice. We engaged with 120 people and signed by eight clients to the service. Meanwhile, over at University College Hospital London, there was a pop-up stand for patients and visitors.
The following day Breathe spent the morning spread across the borough of Camden. They visited CNWL Headquarters, holding a stall and offering advice. We engaged with 120 people and signed by eight clients to the service. Meanwhile, over at University College Hospital London, there was a pop-up stand for patients and visitors.
Book a place on our stop smoking training courses
All frontline health workers in community, in-patient clinical or secure settings should attend the smoking cessation training.
The course is relevant to the needs of all smokers and particularly relevant to those with addictions or mental health issues. It aims to assist health workers in the management of smoking and vaping in clinical settings as well as the process of supporting smokers to quit, using behavioural, psychological and pharmaceutical approaches.
Smoking Cessation training is available for CNWL staff on the Learning and Development Zone for 16 April, 7 May, or 4 June 2024.
Breathe offer regular training and refresher courses throughout the year to develop the skills of Stop Smoking Advisors including pharmacotherapy updates, pregnancy and shisha.