New figures released to mark National No Smoking Day next week (Wednesday 11 March) shows that more than 100,000 people in the South West quit smoking in 2025.
Analysis from UCL’s Smoking Toolkit Study found that, among people in the South West who reported smoking tobacco in the past year, 37.9% tried to stop, and of those, 28.3% quit successfully – equivalent to 103,000 people across the South West.
Separate YouGov polling for Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) shows the appetite to quit is already strong: 54% of smokers in the South West say they want to stop, including 24% who “REALLY want to stop”.
Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable illness and premature death in the UK, causing around 80,000 deaths each year and harming nearly every organ of the body.
The good news is that stopping smoking brings rapid and significant health benefits at any age. Evidence shows that success is much more likely when smokers have access to effective support: while many people need more than one attempt, using stop smoking services and effective quit aids can significantly increase the chances of quitting, with every supported attempt bringing smokers closer to stopping for good.
