How to quit smoking in the New Year

Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. A new government campaign hopes to motivate parents to make quitting smoking their New Year’s resolution, as it highlights research that shows the impact adult smokers have on the young people in their lives. If you’re thinking seriously about quitting smoking, here are top tips on how you kick the habit for good: Make a plan to quit smoking According to Dr Sarah Jackson, a behavioural scientist at University College London, the reason people tend to struggle with New Year’s resolutions is because they try to overhaul their entire lifestyle. She added: “We know that many people make a quit attempt in January, and while there are so many good reasons to stop smoking for yourself, we hope that this new campaign – by highlighting the inter-generational smoking link with parents influencing their children – will be the added motivation many need to ditch the cigarettes for good this year.” Whether you are quitting for your children, or for your own health, Dr Jackson emphasised how important it is to be clear about why it’s important to you. “It can take a few tries to quit smoking for good.” If you slip up during your journey or become tempted to start smoking again, you can call a stop smoking adviser or Stop Smoking London’s helpline for support.