NHSGGC and Public Health Scotland encourage smokers to ‘Quit Your Way’
A trio of people who quit smoking after a combined 120 years have backed a new national campaign aimed at helping smokers across Scotland quit.
Alan Duthie, Karen Turnbull from West Dunbartonshire and Patricia Weir from Inverclyde are complete strangers to each other, but they all have one thing in common – they all smoked from their early teens through to middle age, developing an addiction that impacted their health and drained their finances.
However, with free support from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, they now have one more thing in common – they’re all smoke-free thanks to Quit Your Way and they’re urging anyone who smokes to do the same.
Quit Your Way is the free national stop smoking service which offers information, advice and support, including nicotine replacement products and medication, to people who want to stop smoking.
In Greater Glasgow and Clyde, people can get face to face help to quit in groups or one-to-one settings, telephone support, access to a free app or help through their local pharmacy – all at no-cost. There’s also specialist help in maternity, mental health and prison services.
With around 600,000 people in Scotland still addicted to tobacco products, a fresh campaign has been launched to raise awareness of the range of free and confidential support available to help people stop smoking and stay stopped.
And Alan, Karen and Patricia – who all quit individually through NHSGGC support – are collectively encouraging anyone who wants to stop smoking to get in touch with Quit Your Way and take their first step towards going smoke-free.
Alan, 51, who’s six years smoke-free, said: “I now see myself as a non-smoker, and other members of my family have joined me in quitting. I’d say to anyone who’s thinking of giving up – seize the opportunity and reach out for support. There’s always help and encouragement and the Quit Your Way team will gladly give you the assistance and encouragement you need.”
Karen, 55, who quit last April through Clydebank Health Centre, said: “Stopping smoking was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do but if I can do it, you can too. I called up the help line and got one-to-one support within a week. It made a huge difference and smoking just isn’t a part of my life anymore.”
Patricia, 62, who had her last cigarette in August 2025 and quit using the medication Varenicline, said: “I had tried before but the support from Quit Your Way made a difference this time. I’d been really ill and decided it was time to quit and now I feel much better and have more money in my pocket.”
Lisa Buck, NHSGGC Quit Your Way programme manager, said: “Stopping smoking brings health and wellbeing benefits within days and it can also save people thousands of pounds each year. Quit Your Way advisers can help people choose the free support that suits them best and with our help you’re more likely to stop smoking and stop for good.”
To find out more or to speak to a Quit Your Way advisor visit http://www.QuitYourWay.scot, drop in to your local pharmacy or call 0800 84 84 84.