THE benefits of giving up smoking are being highlighted in a new Public Health Wales campaign, aiming to help people make 2026 the year they quit smoking for good.

As the New Year rolls in, many people reflect on positive changes, making it the perfect moment to break free from smoking. Break Its Hold focuses on the real-life challenges smokers face—whether it’s stress at work, carving out “me time,” or improving quality of life. The campaign offers practical support through Help Me Quit’s free, expert-led smoking cessation services.

Most smokers want to quit, and many make attempts on their own each year. But evidence shows that using structured NHS support significantly increases the chances of success. Help Me Quit offers free, expert-led advice, tailored to their needs, at a time and place that suits them—plus FREE Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) or other stop-smoking medication.

Quitting smoking doesn’t just benefit health—it can transform a person’s finances. With the average cost of a pack of 20 cigarettes now £16.45, someone smoking a pack a day spends over £115 a week, that’s around £6000 a year —money that could be saved or spent on things that truly matter.

Smoking remains the single greatest preventable cause of disease and deaths in Wales. Between 2020 and 2022, an average of 3,845 deaths among adults aged 35 and over were attributable to smoking—more than one in ten of all deaths in this population. Over the same period, smoking caused more than 17,000 hospital admissions every year, illustrating the tremendous burden smoking places on healthcare services in Wales.

We need to make it easier for people to live well and for tobacco products not to be seen as a normal part of daily life. The challenge remains significant. The National Survey for Wales reported that 10 per cent of adults smoked in 2024–25, still representing tens of thousands of people at risk.

Mary-Ann McKibben, Consultant in Public Health says, “Smoking continues to harm thousands of lives in Wales every year—but change is happening. Fewer people are smoking than ever before, and with the right support, even more smokers can be part of that positive trend. We’re urging people to make this a New Year’s resolution that they stick to and we know that using our free expert-led advice will help them do that. Public Health Wales wants to help people live longer, healthier lives. To do this, our expert Help Me Quit advisers are available to support people to quit smoking for good.”

The campaign will feature a new TV advert airing on S4C and ITV, alongside on-demand platforms such as ITVX, Sky, and Channel 4. Digital advertising will run across Google, YouTube, and connected TV channels, complemented by organic social media activity.

Visit www.helpmequit.wales or www.helpafiistopio.cymru for free expert help and access to stop smoking medication.