No Smoking Day: Quitting smoking can 'boost mental health in just six weeks'
New research shows giving up cigarettes can improve mental wellbeing after just six weeks.
The new findings come as health experts urge people to kick the habit this No Smoking Day, March 10.
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The North East region has seen the biggest fall in numbers of people smoking in England since 2005, when 29% of adults smoked.
Since then, the figure has almost halved.
As schools go back and people across the region consider a new start, smokers are being urged to give quitting another go.
It comes as a major review from Cochrane reassures smokers who want to stop smoking that quitting for at least 6 weeks may improve their mental wellbeing, by reducing anxiety, depression, and stress.
Reductions in anxiety and depression in those who quit smoking are found to be at least as great as from taking anti-depressants, says FRESH.
Smoking is the world's leading cause of preventable illness and death. One in every two people who smoke will die of a smoking-related disease unless they quit.
Saving money can also ease stress - someone smoking 10 a day is likely to be spending around £144 per month on tobacco.
Ailsa Rutter OBE, Director of Fresh, said: "This is the clearest evidence yet about the benefits of quitting smoking to relieve stress, anxiety and mental health. People with mental health conditions die 10 to 20 years earlier than the general population, and smoking is the biggest cause of this life expectancy gap.
"As schools go back and homeschooling ends, many parents will be breathing a sigh of relief. If you smoke, quitting can give you a new start and can save you hundreds of pounds by the summer."
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