No Smoking Day, which takes place on Wed 14^th March 2018, is the national day which celebrates the success of people who have stopped smoking, and encourages those still smoking to give up for good. For this year’s national No Smoking Day NHS Forth Valley is asking local people to #TellUsYourWay of how they stopped smoking.

Laura Boyle, Stop Smoking Adviser, NHS Forth Valley said: “Everyone’s different, which means the way you quit smoking needs to be your choice. It’s all about working out what’s right for you to increase your chances of quitting for good. It’ll only take a few days before you start to notice the effects – you’ll breathe easier and find physical activity less strenuous after just three days.

“We’ve signed up to support national No Smoking Day because we want to hear from local people in Forth Valley about how they stopped smoking, and to use those examples to encourage others who want to quit to give it a go.”

Laura is one of a number of stop smoking advisers who feature in a new national ‘Quit Your Way’ radio campaign to highlight her role and the support available across Scotland to help people quit smoking.

Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive of ASH Scotland, said:  “Stopping smoking isn’t always easy, but the good news is that there’s more free support available than ever. You can pop into a pharmacy for local, expert advice, or call Quit Your Way Scotland seven days a week on 0800 84 84 84 for advice and support.

“Use our hashtag #TellUsYourWay to post on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and make a statement about how you quit smoking. We want to hear your stories and pictures of how you quit – we’re looking to share your experiences and encourage others to quit their way.

“You can also use No Smoking Day as your day to quit – tell your friends and family that you’ve chosen to stop smoking and how you’re going to do it. Letting other people know your plans helps you commit to quitting and helps your friends and family to support and motivate you.”

Local stop-smoking services across NHS Forth Valley are supporting national No Smoking Day. If you want to quit, you can call Quit Your Way Scotland free 0800 84 84 84 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 10pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 9am to 5pm. Visit QuitYourWay.scot call NHS Forth Valley’s Stop Smoking service on 01786 433293 or speak to your local pharmacist.