9 ways to quit smoking you probably haven’t tried

With energy and water bills set to rise over the coming months, many remain engulfed by the effects of the cost-of-living crisis.

At the time of writing, inflation stands at 3%, up from 2.5% in 12 months to December, pushing people's expendable cash to the limits.

The average price for a 20 pack of king size cigarettes in January 2025 was £16.60 in the UK – up £1.34 from the previous year and £5.80 five years ago in 2020, making smoking a particularly expensive habit to keep up.

Smoking is, therefore, a likely financial outgoing that you could do without; and (bonus) quitting also improves your health.

Knowing how to stop, however, is the blocker for many smokers.

Smokers' desire to stop is currently high, though – a 2022 survey by the Opinion & Lifestyle Survey – found that 80% of British smokers want to kick the habit, while just 16% do not want to quit. 

Smoking rates are also decreasing across the country. Around six million people over the age of 18 admitted they were a regular smoker.

This is the lowest proportion of current smokers since records began in 2011.

However, the rate of British adults using an e-cigarette daily or occasionally is steadily on the rise, with an increase of 600,000 people between 2022 and 2023.

Read more on why vaping is not 'risk free' here: Why vaping is not really risk-free | Magazine | Vitality

Taking control of your health

The health implications of smoking are well documented. If you’re a smoker, you are at higher risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung disease, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Time, however, is something else you can enjoy back when you quit smoking. Studies suggest one cigarette shortens a smoker's lifespan by 11 minutes.

Meanwhile, life expectancy among smokers is a staggering 10 years shorter than that of non-smokers, says the NHS. 

Quitting smoking before the age of 40 can also reduce the risk of dying from smoking-related diseases by around 90%, according to the National Cancer Institute.

9 ways to a smoke-free life

Once you’ve made the decision that you want to live a smoke-free life, picking a quit date is the best way to start. Add it to your calendar and prepare yourself.

When the hesitations inevitably kick in, remember that you are gaining from quitting smoking not losing out.

Reframing in your mind that you are ‘quitting’ smoking, rather than ‘giving up’, makes it feel less challenging and that you are not losing out on a part of your life.

Once you made up your mind, follow these recommendations from the NHS to get your quitting journey on the road and, more importantly, make sure you stick to it.

Sticking to stopping smoking

• List your reasons to quit
• Tell people you are quitting
• If you have tried to quit before, remember what worked
• Use stop smoking aids, such as Allen Carr’s stop smoking programme or nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)
• Have a plan if you are tempted to smoke
• List your smoking triggers and how to avoid them
• Keep cravings at bay by keeping busy
• Exercise away the urge
• Join an online support group 

Giving up smoking is one of the best ways to improve your health, which is why we work with smoking cessation experts, Allen Carr.

As a Vitality member, you could save up to £379 on the Allen Carr Stop Smoking Programme. Find out more about how to start your journey here. Terms and conditions apply.