Stop smoking service

According to Public Health England (PHE), 60% of smokers want to quit, and all for very different and personal reasons.

With our support, you’ll be 5 times more likely to give up for good.

Our pharmacy teams have lots of experience in helping people stop smoking and can help you find the solution that’s best for you. We offer advice on nicotine replacement therapies including lozenges, gum and mouth spray.

As well as helping your lungs, you’ll also be doing your wallet a favour by quitting. On average, most people who quit save around £250 each month, which adds up to £3,000 a year. You can work out how much you’d save with the NHS cost calculator.

You’ll also be protecting your friends and family from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke, also known as passive smoking. Long term exposure to secondhand smoke can cause the same health problems as smoking.

Once you stop smoking, you body begins to heal almost straight away.

After 20 minutes, your pulse rate returns to normal. It takes only 48 hours for your body to eliminate all the carbon monoxide and nicotine, and after 72 hours you should begin to breathe easier.

The benefits only increase as time passes since your last cigarette. After a year, your risk of heart disease halves compared to someone who is still smoking, after 10 years your risk of lung cancer falls to half of a smoker, and after 15 years your risk of a heart attack falls to that of someone who has never smoked.

Some of our stores offer free NHS Stop Smoking services involving 1-to-1 consultations and weekly support.

If you live in Scotland we can also save you money in your journey to quit. We offer a free NHS Stop Smoking Service in every Scottish Well, including free nicotine replacement therapies such as patches, lozenges and gums.

But remember, if you don’t succeed the first time you try and quit, don’t give up. It may be reassuring to know that on average, most people have 3 or 4 attempts at quitting before they give up permanently.