Be a proud quitter this ‘No Smoking Day’

According to statistics two-thirds of smokers want to quit, however almost one in five adults continue to smoke. No Smoking Day takes place tomorrow, 11th March, and the annual campaign is calling for smokers to be proud quitters.

The campaign merged with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) in 2011, a charity that pioneers research into the treatment of heart and circulatory conditions. Every year the No Smoking Day campaign inspires people to quit and is supported by a number of UK health bodies and charities.

This year, the theme is ‘proud to be a quitter’. Normally people are told that quitting is a bad thing, and that we must keep going. When it comes to smoking however, quitting is a positive thing. Inspirational stories from ex-smokers are being used to highlight the life-changing benefits that come with quitting.

Dr Mike Knapton, Associate Medical Director at the BHF has said the following:

“Giving up smoking is the single best thing you can do for your health, and that’s why the British Heart Foundation runs No Smoking Day. We’re encouraging smokers to mark Wednesday 11 March in their calendars and take the first step towards a smoke-free life.”

So, how can you use this day to finally kick the habit? As a national campaign, No Smoking Day makes it easy for you to find support. Take to social media and tell the world you’re planning to quit, and search for other quitters (use #NoSmokingDay). Give each other support and make use of the No Smoking Day resources available.

You may want to book a doctors appointment on this day and speak to them about quitting smoking. You may want to use the day to explore your options when it comes to support, many people find hypnotherapy for smoking especially effective.

However you spend the day, using it as a launch pad for making a healthy change is paramount.