Join our Hold My Light campaign to help create a smoke-free future

DESPITE great progress being made and the number of smokers gradually falling in the UK, we are still at least three decades away from reaching a smoke-free future – taking us well into the second half of the century.

However, it’s not all bad news. In comparison to 2011, there are now 1.6 million fewer smokers in England, and if you are over 35, you are less likely to light up.*

But there is still work to be done. Public Health England would like the country to be smoke-free by 2030 – no mean feat considering there are still 6.1 million smokers in England over the age of 18, equating to nearly 15% of the population.

So despite the overall decline in smoking, it’s clear more help is needed. Just under 60% of smokers – 3.64 million people – have said they want to give up, and one in 10 intends to stop in the next three months. But research shows that the number attending local stop smoking services has halved in the last 10 years, and without the right support, many will carry on smoking.

This is where Hold My Light could really help. Unlike other campaigns, the heart of Hold My Light is centred around involving your friends and family to offer encouragement when you need it most.

So what have you got to lose? To sign up, visit the Hold My Light website.