Messages encouraging smokers to quit could be added to cigarette packs.
A draft proposal with the suggestion is being considered by the Government. According to the Department of Health, these inserts will highlight the financial and health benefits of giving up smoking and the support available to those trying to quit.
The Department of Health hopes the inserts – which have already been used in other countries including Canada and Israel, with Australia also planning to introduce them – could lead to an additional 30,000 smokers giving up, saving up to £1.6 billion in health costs.
Smoking is still one of the most preventable causes of illness and death in the UK, with around 76,000 people dying from it every year, according to NHS figures.
The consultation launched on Monday and will be running until October.
In the meantime, it’s always a good time to try and stop smoking, and focusing on the positive outcomes can help you stay on track too. Here are some of the financial and health benefits of quitting smoking…
More disposable income
Smoking costs around £17.3 billion a year across England overall, according to the latest 2023 economic data analysis commissioned by public health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). This includes a significant cost to the NHS and social care, with smoking-related admissions and primary treatments reportedly costing £1.9 billion yearly.
However, quitting smoking could make a significant difference to people’s individual pockets too – a major incentive to beat the habit. Especially right now, with the cost of living so high.
According to Everyone Health, if you get through 20 cigarettes a day, with a packet of cigarettes costing £13.30, that’s a spend of £93.10 per week, or £4,841.20 per year. The average smoker may smoke a bit less than that per day, but this could still add up to serious money.
“The average smoker can save around £38 a week by quitting smoking, that’s £2,000 a year, according to the NHS,” said Abbas Kanani, a pharmacist at Chemist Click.
What could you do for yourself and your family with that extra money?
Better mental and physical healthThe good news is, evidence suggests quitting at any point in life leads to big improvements in your health, including increased life expectancy and lower disease risk.
“Stopping smoking is one of the best things you will ever do for your health,” said Kanani. “Quitting smoking improves your physical health, and boosts your mental health and wellbeing after as little as six weeks of being smoke-free. Every time you smoke a cigarette, your body is flooded with thousands of chemicals, many of which are poisonous.
“The day you stop, your body starts clearing itself of all those nasty toxins and the repair process begins. People who have quit also have increased positive mood compared with people who continue to smoke,” Kanani added: “Longer-term risks of cancer, lung disease, heart disease and stroke will be significantly reduced too. You will also be less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, bone disease including osteoporosis, eye disease and dementia.”
Improved blood circulation
“The blood circulation to your heart and muscles can improve, which will make physical activity easier and improve lung function, which leads to reductions in any cough, wheezing or other breathing problems,” continued Kanani.
All of this will have a knock-on effect on how energised you feel day-to-day, as well as contributing to better general health in the short and long term.
Improved sense of taste and smell
Being able to taste and smell food better is another huge bonus to quitting smoking.
George Sandhu, deputy superintendent pharmacist at Well Pharmacy, said: “There are a number of almost immediate benefits to stopping smoking, including healthier teeth and gums, fresher breath, and improved sense of taste and smell. In the longer term, you’ll probably find your breathing will improve, and ultimately you’ll probably end up living a longer, healthier life.”
Protecting your loved ones from second-hand smoke
Second-hand smoking or ‘passive smoking’ is dangerous too. According to the NHS, most of the smoke from a cigarette goes into the air around you and not your lungs – therefore it’s those around you or nearby that will breath it in.
And as the World Health Organisation (WHO) highlights, tobacco kills more than 8 million people each year, including 1.3 million non-smokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke.
“Quitting means you’ll protect your loved ones from the potential health harms of second-hand smoke too,” said Kanani.
If you would like support to help you quit smoking, talk to your GP or local pharmacist.
