Stop smoking

Winter brings a rise in seasonal illnesses like flu and COVID, which can result in more severe symptoms if you smoke.

Smoking can also make respiratory conditions such as COPD, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema worse, and increase your risk of a heart attack, especially during colder months.

If you are ill, awaiting hospital treatment, or recovering, stopping smoking helps your recovery and makes it less likely that you will have to go to hospital, or need to be re-admitted.

As we spend more time indoors, it is also important to remember that 80% of second-hand smoke is invisible and odourless. Even if you take precautions, those around you could still be exposed. The only way to fully protect them is to keep your home smokefree.

stopping smoking will:

• give your lungs a chance to heal
• help you breathe more easily
• help you recover faster
• protect those around you from second-hand smoke

Find out more about local support to help you stop smoking

Page last updated: 2 December 2025