No Smoking Day 2023 campaign to raise London’s awareness of smoking and dementia
While more than 77% of the capital’s population knows about the increased cancer risk with smoking, just 17% of Londoners know that smoking can increase the chances of developing dementia.
Smokers urged to quit for No Smoking Day 2023
Londoners are being encouraged to quit smoking as part of the No Smoking Day (8th March) campaign, as the new statistics from Alzheimer’s Research UK show that smokers are more likely to develop dementia.
While the risk of suffering from serious illnesses such as lung cancer, strokes, heart failures and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are widely known, few people are aware of the link between smoking and dementia.
YouGov data commissioned by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) revealed 17% of Londoners who smoke know that smoking increases the risk of dementia, compared to 77% who know that smoking causes lung diseases or 16 types of different cancers.
No Smoking Day 2023 - Stopping smoking improves brain health
Dr Chi Udeh-Momoh, Translational Neuroscientist at Imperial College London, describes the risks of smoking and dementia for No Smoking Day 2023.
To coincide with No Smoking Day 2023, Stop Smoking London – the support programme of the London Tobacco Alliance – is running a campaign, together with ASH and Alzheimer’s Research, to raise awareness of smoking and dementia, as well as encourage smokers who want to be ‘Smokefree for 2023’ to get help from local stop smoking services.
It is clinically proven that stopping smoking improves your brain health – that is the message from healthcare professionals as part of No Smoking Day 2023.
Research shows that self-confidence is a major factor in successful quit attempts, however many people try to quit smoking with willpower alone, but it’s much easier with the right support.
The message for the campaign is that you’re three times as likely to quit successfully in 2023 using free expert help from local services or Stop Smoking London’s telephone programme and using proven tools like nicotine replacement therapy.
What is No Smoking Day 2023?
No Smoking Day is an annual health awareness day in the United Kingdom to help smokers who want to quit smoking.
The first No Smoking Day was originally run on Ash Wednesday in 1984. It now takes place on the second Wednesday in March and has become a pivotal day to drive quit attempts for smoking cessation programmes, public health bodies and local authorities across the UK.
Why is No Smoking Day 2023 important?
Despite smoking rates declining, there are nearly 6 million adults in England who still smoke, and smoking remains the single biggest cause of preventable illness and death in England.
According to estimates by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), the annual costs of smoking to society are £17 billion. Treating smoking-related illnesses also costs the NHS £2.4 billion a year, while the wider cost to social care in England amounts to a further £1.2bn.
Smoking is still the leading cause of premature death in the UK.
Download the Stop Smoking London comms pack
If you have smokers in your local borough who are looking to quit smoking or want your organisation to get involved to drive quit attempts, download the Stop Smoking London communications pack.
This pack contains graphics, videos and pre-written texts for organisations to use to drive visitors to Stop Smoking London to find digital support and local services – a collaboration between London’s local authorities.
Download Stop Smoking London assets
Join the London Tobacco Alliance.
