Make 2025 the year you quit smoking

Quitting smoking is best thing you can do for your health. Get ready to quit for good this New Year.

The earlier you quit smoking, the more you're likely to benefit. It can be a challenge to stop smoking, especially if you have been smoking for a while. But it's never too late – because quitting will improve your health whatever your age and no matter how long you have smoked.

You may think that smoking supports your mental wellbeing, and helps you to relax, deal with stress and anxiety, and cope with life's difficulties. In fact, the opposite is true. Stopping smoking boosts mental health and wellbeing.

Evidence shows that after the withdrawal stage of quitting, people have reduced anxiety, depression and stress. People who have quit also have increased positive mood compared with people who continue to smoke.

It can take as little as 6 weeks to start feeling the mental health benefits of stopping smoking. You'll notice some benefits within days or weeks:

Your senses of taste and smell improve.
You start to breathe more easily.
You have more energy.

Other benefits will follow, including:

Better blood circulation to your heart and muscles, which will make physical activity easier.
Improved lung function, leading to reductions in any cough, wheezing or other breathing problems.
Your longer-term risks of cancer, lung disease, heart disease and stroke will be significantly reduced.
You will also be less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, bone disease including osteoporosis, eye disease and dementia.

For some people, a big reason for stopping smoking is to be there for their family and friends, protecting loved ones from the potential health harms of secondhand smoke (sometimes called passive smoking). Secondhand smoke is dangerous for anyone exposed to it, especially for children.