Quitting smoking isn’t easy, but if you’re looking for expert advice and support, pharmacies are perfectly equipped to help. With a range of products in store and online that can help you to achieve your goals, pharmacies are set up to help you quit smoking for good.

Smoking represents a massive risk to your health - it’s accountable for 80,000 deaths in England each year. But for many, it takes more than self-control alone to give up smoking straight away. When you stop smoking, nicotine is rapidly eliminated from your body, which means you’re likely to face withdrawal symptoms, such as difficulty with concentration, irritability and bad moods. These can be difficult to break past - but with the free NHS Stop Smoking service available at selected pharmacies, you don’t need to try to stop on your own - in fact, you’re four times more likely to quit for good if you have help.

And the truth is, the good side effects when you stop smoking massively outweigh the withdrawal symptoms. After just eight hours, the nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in your blood reduce by more than half, and your oxygen levels will be back to normal. By two days, there’ll no longer be any harmful carbon monoxide or nicotine in your body. Your fitness levels and breathing will improve, as will your skin appearance, dental hygiene and fertility levels. You’ll start to enjoy food and drink more, as your sense of taste returns.

Pharmacists are trained to offer advice on a range of proven methods that can help you quit for good. They can give you accurate information and professional support during the first few months as you try to stop smoking, and can even make it easy and affordable for you to try stop smoking treatments including nicotine replacement therapy.

Common products that can help you stop smoking include nicotine patches, sprays, lozenges and gum, in addition to inhalator devices, liquids and vapes. Using combination therapy can increase the changes of your quitting by up to 70% compared to those not using anything.

Jennifer Percival, who trains stop smoking advisors, says that the best chances of stopping smoking can be seen when you use both treatment and specialist support:

“The majority of people who see an advisor will get through the first month after quitting without smoking a cigarette. Overall, you’re up to four times more likely to stop smoking for good if you use a combination of stop smoking treatment and receive support from an NHS Stop Smoking Service.”

Local stop smoking services are free, with friendly help, and can give you a huge boost to your mission to quit for good. Click here to find your nearest pharmacy offering the NHS Stop Smoking service.