TUESDAY, 11 MARCH, 2025

Embargoed until 12:01am, Wednesday, 12 March 2025.

Photo attached: Quit Your Way’s ‘Big Cig’ with players from Street Soccer Scotland

No Smoking Day – time to kick the habit!

NHS Tayside’s Quit Your Way team has joined up with a local football charity this No Smoking Day to encourage people to kick their smoking habit for good.

No Smoking Day (Wednesday, 12 March) is an annual campaign to celebrate the achievements of those who have successfully quit smoking, and to encourage people who currently smoke to consider quitting. This year’s theme is Quit and Win which aims to raise awareness of the benefits of quitting smoking, for you and your family, health, finances and wellbeing.

As part of this campaign, staff from NHS Tayside’s Quit Your Way team have been out and about at several community venues in Tayside to give advice and information about the free stop smoking service available locally.

The service has been working with The Change Centre Dundee and players from the Street Soccer Scotland charity, which provides a personal development service for socially disadvantaged young people and adults, providing hope and opportunity through physical activity. Members of the Quit Your Way team visited the centre to chat to players and staff about the free support people can get to quit smoking and raise awareness about the benefits people experience when they stop smoking.

David MacKenzie, Street Soccer Scotland regional manager, said, “Working alongside community partners to share resources and expertise on days such as No Smoking Day is a valuable way to pass on the important message of how players can make positive changes to improve their health and also finances.”

The team was also at Lochee Community Larder and Café last week and will be going to the following locations on No Smoking Day (Wednesday) to share information about the benefits of giving up smoking and provide advice about the support available locally:

• Boomerang Community Centre, Kemback Street, Dundee between 9.30am and 11.30am

• Ninewells Hospital, main concourse, Dundee between 10.30am and 1pm

• Lochee Community Hub, Lochee High Street between 2.30pm and 3.30pm

Tomorrow (Thursday, 13 March) the team will be joined by the Dundee Community Action Team from Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) at:

• Boots, 94 Albert Street, Dundee between 10am and 11.30am

• The Steeple, Nethergate, Dundee between noon and 2pm

Community safety advocate Brogan from SFRS Dundee Community Action Team said, “In Scotland, smoking is the main cause of death from fires in the home. You can cut the chances of this happening by stopping smoking or following our safer smoking guidance in our smoking and alcohol leaflet which can be found on the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service website.

“We are delighted to be working with partners such as the Quit Your Way team this No Smoking Day to spread the message and keep our communities safe."

NHS Tayside public health support worker Sarah Armstrong said, “Quitting smoking can lead to a richer life in more ways than one. It will save you money but it can also lead to improved physical health. Giving up smoking is the single most important lifestyle decision that anyone can make to improve their health immediately.

“People are four times more likely to stop smoking for good if they use the stop smoking support available. You can access free medication and support that’s right for you at your local community pharmacy, which improves your chances of quitting long-term.

“No Smoking Day is the perfect opportunity to get support and NHS Tayside Quit Your Way services are available for anyone who wants to stop smoking in Tayside.”

People can visit any local community pharmacy, call the Quit Your Way service on 01382 424127 or email tay.smokingcessationservice@nhs.scot to find out about all the ways NHS Tayside can help support people to become smoke free.

NHS Tayside also has an incentive scheme to quit smoking that offers £50 a month in weekly vouchers to spend at a local supermarket. Your local pharmacy can give you more information and let you know if you are eligible for the incentive scheme.

You can follow the Tayside Quit Your Way service at www.facebook.com/nhstaysidequityourway, where you can find lots of information about the support available.

NHS Tayside has a strict No Smoking Policy which makes all NHS Tayside premises and grounds smoke free, a policy which is line with all Health Board sites across Scotland.

Legislation introduced by the Scottish Government means it is an offence to smoke within 15 metres of a hospital building.

Contact: NHS Tayside Communications, (01382) 424138