Smoke free and stop smoking support

Benefits of quitting smoking

Smoking is the main cause of preventable illness and early death. It causes lung disease, heart disease, and cancer. People with mental health conditions are more likely to smoke and have a shorter life expectancy than the general population.

Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental health. Your body will start healing the day you stop smoking:

After two days, a harmful gas called carbon monoxide will have left your blood. Carbon monoxide is found in cigarette smoke and reduces the amount of oxygen your blood can carry. As its levels drop, your blood can transport oxygen more effectively around your body.

After 12 weeks of not smoking, blood will be pumping through to your heart and muscles more easily.

After nine months of not smoking, you will notice a big improvement in your breathing, as your lungs work more effectively and allow easier transfer of oxygen around your body.

In future years, you will be less likely to get ill and develop certain cancers, heart and respiratory conditions.

Smoking and medications

Quitting smoking also helps some medications work more effectively (including many antipsychotics and some antidepressants).

Chemicals in tobacco smoke cause the body to break down those medications faster. This may often mean you need to take higher doses of medication and experience more side effects.

When you stop smoking, your body starts to process your medication more slowly. Your precriber may need to review and possibly lower your dose. You should always tell your doctor about changes in the number of cigarettes / amount of tobacco you smoke.

Why we are smoke-free

At Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, we have a duty to promote health and wellbeing, and we are committed to helping reduce health and social inequalities caused by smoking. Being smoke-free means that staff, service users, and visitors are not allowed to smoke anywhere on our sites, including wards, clinics, grounds, and vehicles. This way, we can create a healthier and safer environment for everyone.

How to quit smoking

We understand that it might be difficult to quit smoking on your own. We want to make sure that there is support for anyone who wishes to stop smoking.

You are two to three times more likely to quit smoking with both behavioural support and medication or vaping devices (e-cigarettes), than with no support.

Treating Tobacco Dependency Service

For inpatients, the Treating Tobacco Dependency (TTD) Service can support you to manage your nicotine dependency and quit smoking as part of your recovery, while you are in hospital and after you leave. An advisor will visit you to discuss treatment options. You can also ask for a referral anytime during your stay.

For more information please ask the ward team for a copy of: Treating Tobacco Dependency Service Information for Service Users and Carers leaflet

Support in the community

If you are receiving care from our Community mental health and learning disability teams, a member of your clinical team can refer you to the local stop smoking service. Your local service can offer you free support and access to stop smoking medicines. Some services also offer free vaping kits to support you to quit smoking and remain smoke-free.

Nicotine replacement therapy

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products, such as nicotine patches, lozenges, inhalators, and sprays, can help you stop smoking.

Nicotine replacement therapy products are available on prescription and over the counter. They are safe to use if you are also taking medications for physical and mental health.

You can safely combine two nicotine replacement therapy products or one nicotine replacement product with a vaping device (e-cigarette) to increase their effectiveness.

Vaping devices (E-cigarettes)

A vape, or e-cigarette, is a device that allows you to inhale nicotine in a vapour.

Vapes do not burn tobacco and do not produce tar or carbon monoxide. These are the two most damaging elements in tobacco smoke. They work by heating a liquid that typically contains nicotine, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine, and flavourings.

Using a vaping device (e-cigarette) is known as vaping. Evidence shows that vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking and one of the most successful ways of helping people to quit smoking tobacco.

Resources and online support

NHS Quit smoking - Better Heath website: https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/

Download the free NHS Quit Smoking app to track your progress, see how much money you are saving, and get daily support.

Call the free National Smoke-free Helpline on 0300 123 1044 (England only) to talk to a trained adviser. Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm. Saturday and Sunday - 11am to 4pm.

Contact us

Inpatients: To contact the AWP Inpatient Treating Tobacco Dependency service email awp.ttdservice@nhs.net.

Community: For details of local Stop Smoking services in Bristol, North Somerset, South Glos, BANES, Swindon and Wiltshire: email: awp.physicalhealthteam@nhs.net.