How Is Your New Year’s Resolution To Quit Smoking Going?

New Year’s Resolutions are still a popular way for people to realign their priorities and alter their lifestyle, which is why around 40 million Brits made one this year. In fact, more people are committing themselves to making changes than in the last few years.

Among the most common resolutions were promises to become healthier in 2025, with 43 per cent of people aiming to boost their wellbeing. This includes losing weight, drinking less alcohol or becoming sober, going vegan or vegetarian, reducing caffeine intake, prioritising self-care, readdressing the work-life balance, or quitting smoking.

According to Censuswide research, 53 per cent of smokers intended to give up cigarettes this January. This comes after the Department for Health and Social Care revealed those who quit on New Year’s Day would have saved a whole day of their life just one week later.

Andrew Gwynne, public health minister, tried to encourage more people to ditch their habit, saying: “The new year offers a perfect chance for smokers to make a new resolution and take that step.”

But giving up a lifelong habit is easier said than done, which is why many people who started with good intentions might have already given up.

New Year’s Resolution fails

In fact, the second Friday in January is often known as Quitter’s Day, as this is when lots of people who made new year’s resolutions decided to give up on them. 

This year, Quitter’s Day fell on January 10th, though some people might still give up, if they haven’t already done so. 

For many people, around 17 days into the new year is when their self-discipline begins to wane. The enthusiasm about their new lifestyle choice has probably declined by this point, and their feelings of determination and self-belief might be slipping away.

What’s more, with the short days, dark evenings, cold weather and loss of the excitement and celebration that the festive period brought, many people feel like they owe themselves something they enjoy, which, for smokers, is their cigarettes.

Ways to stick to your goal

The important thing to remember when trying to stick to your new year’s resolutions is how far you’ve already come. Every cigarette takes 20 minutes off your life, so you would have saved yourself several days already.

If you continue, by February 20th, you could avoid losing 50 days of your life, as it is a risk factor in many types of cancers and diseases. 

It is the cause of a quarter of all cancer deaths in England; increases the chances of getting a chronic illness; and costs the lives of two-thirds of its long-term users. 

You might have noticed it already, but breathing should have felt easier in just three days, while blood circulation can improve in three months. Those who are able to control their temptations can reduce their risk of having a heart attack by half if they avoid cigarettes till the end of the year. 

Reminding yourself of the health benefits of quitting is one of the most effective ways to keep going, but smokers also need practical advice to help them avoid temptation.

Have a good plan

Firstly, it is essential to have a good plan to support your goals. 

This could be taking NHS treatments, such as nicotine replacement therapy like lozenges, gum or inhalers; giving yourself something to fidget with when your fingers want to hold a cigarette; calling someone whenever you would usually have a smoking break; and using local Stop Smoking Services.

Find an accountability partner

Some people find it very helpful to have an accountability partner. This could be someone who is also giving up smoking, so you can go through the difficult patches together, or it could be someone who has successfully given up and can offer words of encouragement when you need it. 

Making yourself accountable means you are more likely to stick to your goals.

Feel proud of your achievements

Most of us are guilty about underplaying our achievements, but when you are doing something difficult like giving up smoking, you should be proud of yourself every step of the way. Tick each day off as they come, and reward yourself every week you have avoided a cigarette.

Think how good you’ll feel after it’s been a month, or six months, or even a year, and keep that in mind when you feel tempted to smoke. 

Those who smoked 20 cigarettes a day could save themselves nearly £5,000 a year, so if you make the big milestone, why not promise yourself a dream holiday as a reward?

Start vaping

Many people take up vaping when they want to quit smoking, as it helps them to replace their habit in an easy and effective way. They still get a nicotine hit, which means they don’t have to suffer from withdrawal symptoms, and holding a big puff disposable vape satisfies their craving to inhale a cigarette.

As you get the same hand-to-mouth action and throat hit as you do with smoking, many smokers find it fulfils their usual smoking habits so they don’t miss it as much. 

Vaping is often used as a tool to quit smoking, as you can also wean yourself slowly off nicotine by choosing weaker strengths as time goes on. This is far easier than going cold turkey and giving up nicotine entirely! 

That is why you’re twice as likely to be successful when quitting smoking if you use nicotine replacement products like e-cigarettes, so for anyone having a wobble about their new year’s resolutions, it is worth giving them a go.