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Smokers in the Mid West encouraged to access supports to QUIT this January

  • Smokers in the Mid West encouraged to access supports to QUIT this January
  • QUIT for good this January with free Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) from the HSE

LIMERICK (14.01.2025): THIS QUIT Month (January 2025), people who smoke throughout the Mid West are being encouraged to access free supports available to them to stop smoking from the HSE and the QUIT Service.

HSE QUIT Mid West is your free, local QUIT service. From setting a QUIT date until you are 12 months smoke free, QUIT Mid West offers in-person, telephone / telehealth support and free NRT if you sign up to the programme. Everyone who uses the QUIT service is given a stop smoking advisor to guide them on their QUIT journey. QUIT Mid West can be contacted on 065 6865841 / Email quit.midwest@hse.ie

Large numbers of people have used the QUIT Service throughout Ireland since it started providing free nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) in 2023, and the percentage of people smoking in Ireland has decreased to 17% in 2024. However, one in five people aged 25-34 still smoke.

The HSE QUIT service is expanding with extra funding for 2025 which will enable more interactions and assistance for those looking to quit. The Freephone Quitline 1800 201 203 is open 7 days a week in January which gives smokers the freedom to reach out whenever it suits them.

The service provides free NRT in the form of sprays, mists, lozenges and patches. You can use any type of NRT that you want and your stop smoking advisor will help you decide which is best for you. NRT are licensed medicines that safely give you just enough nicotine to relieve cravings and withdrawal symptoms while reducing your dependence on nicotine gradually. They help you cope with cravings and withdrawal symptoms. NRT does not contain the poisonous and cancer-causing chemicals in tobacco smoke, such as tar and carbon monoxide. NRT products from the HSE are checked for safety by the Health Products Regulatory Agency (HPRA).

Mary Mac Mahon HSE Mid West Tobacco Lead, says: “Over a third of current smokers are either trying to quit or actively planning to quit. Getting the right support is the best route to success, so please contact us at QUIT Mid West on 065 6865841 / Email quit.midwest@hse.ie and we can help you. Feedback to date from some of those who have attended QUIT Mid West has been really positive. One service user reported that it explained so much, eventhough they knew the danger of smoking, to hear it from an advisor helped a lot more. Another service user, just shy of 6 months smoke free has recommended the service to many friends.”

Dr Paul Kavanagh, HSE Public Health Consultant and Clinical advisor to the Tobacco Free Ireland Programme, explains: “The HSE QUIT service delivers care which is safe, clinically sound and most of all which works. In line with recommendations in the National Stop Smoking Guidelines, and with support from the Department of Health, we are pleased to offer free NRT to people using our services.

“We know that using NRT during a quit attempt increases the likelihood of success. Since it became widely available across our services in 2023, the impact of free NRT for people using our support to quit has been game-changing. There’s been a 50% increase in NRT use among people using our service. People who use NRT double their chances of quitting successfully so this is a huge step forward, with 6 in 10 people using the service availing of the free NRT on offer.”

Martina Blake, National Lead, HSE Tobacco Free Ireland Programme, says: “While smoking rates in Ireland are falling slightly based on the recent 2024 Healthy Ireland Survey. It still showed a high level of tobacco use for those in the 25-34 age bracket. This is worrying and we have responded by improving the HSE QUIT service through increased access to NRT and making more staff available to provide support.

“Unfortunately, too many people who smoke try to quit alone and don’t access the help they need to increase their chances of finally quitting. This January, the QUIT services across the country are here to help. Take the opportunity to work with our trained QUIT advisors to create a personalised stop smoking plan tailored to fit your lifestyle.”

Make 2025 your year to quit, talk to us today at QUIT Mid West on 065 6865841 / Email quit.midwest@hse.ie

Notes to Editor

Top tips for quitting smoking successfully

  1. Don’t feel you need to go it alone. HSE QUIT is there for you, to help you take this step with simple, practical and effective help, maximising your chance of staying quit for good. Staff will provide non-judgemental support and encouragement.
  2. Focus on the goal to stay smoke-free for one day at a time until you get to 28 days. Once people get to that goal, they are up to 5 times more likely to stay quit for good.
  3. Use stop-smoking medicine, like nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). This is a safe, effective and a clinically sound way of dealing with cravings.

QUIT supports available

HSE Quit services are free and available all year round. You can use any combination of the support options below:

The HSE QUIT Service gives you a tailored plan with constant support. Quitting smoking is difficult but trained stop smoking advisors will help you prepare for those tricky early days and weeks.

Ref: Healthy Ireland Survey 2024, Summary Report

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