Today is a good day to quit
Avoiding vaping or smoking helps protect your health from the start. If you already use nicotine, whether smoking, vaping, or pouches, today is a good day to quit. Reach out for support, we're here to help.
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Whether you're a young person who wants to stop vaping or smoking, a parent who's worried, or a school or Healthcare professional looking for guidance, Smokefree Hampshire is here to help.
We offer free, personalised and confidential support to help young people quit and understand the risks linked to nicotine use.
Our fully-trained Quit Coaches work across Hampshire to provide friendly, non-judgemental help through schools, youth groups and community services.
Flexible support options
We tailor support so it works for you, including:
One-to-one support
Personalised support with a friendly, trained Advisor to help you achieve your quit goals.
Group sessions
Supportive group sessions where you can share experiences and learn from each other
Online or remote support
Easy to access, wherever you are.
We'll work with you to find the right approach and help you make a positive change in a way that feels comfortable, supportive and achievable.
Why stopping using nicotine products matters
Whether you vape, smoke, or use other nicotine products it can have a real impact on your health and wellbeing.
Nicotine is highly addictive, and for young people it can interfere with brain development, focus, mood, and the ability to cope with stress.
A lot of people start vaping or smoking socially, but soon realise it’s not so easy to stop.
Stopping smoking is the single biggest thing you can do to improve your health.
Quitting reduces your risk of serious illnesses such as heart disease, breathing conditions and cancer, helping you live a longer, healthier life.
You don’t have to do it alone, our Quit Coaches are here to help you quit nicotine products for good, with friendly support that fits around your life.
The Health Impacts of Nicotine Pouches
Nicotine pouches might seem clean, discreet, and harmless but they still contain nicotine. Even without smoke or vapour, these products carry real health risks.
• They can harm the developing brain, affecting mood, learning and concentration.
• They are highly addictive, which can make quitting much harder later on.
• They can irritate your gums and mouth, causing soreness and long-term oral issues.
Choosing to stay nicotine-free is one of the strongest ways to protect your physical and mental health and energy levels.
Even if nicotine pouches look small, they can create big problems, and avoiding them keeps you in control, not the product.
What does the data say?
Young People who vape are twice as likely to experience breathing problems such as coughing and shortness of breath. (NIHR evidence, 2024)
Those who vape are three times more likely to start smoking later in life. (LSHTM, 2025)
Smoking is detrimental to the health of young people throughout their lives with earlier initiation linked to increased levels of smoking and dependence, a lower chance of quitting, and higher mortality
The good news? With the right support quitting is possible and most people feel better within weeks
Myths about Smoking and Vaping
Here are some common myths about smoking and vaping, and the facts you need to know.
Myth 1: "Vaping is harmless"
Fact: Vaping is not harmless. It still carries risks, especially for young people. But, if you already smoke, switching completely to vaping is much safer than continuing to smoke.
In 2022, UK experts reviewed the international evidence and found that "in the short and medium-term, vaping poses a small fraction of the risks of smoking".
Myth 2: "It's just nicotine, so it's fine"
Fact: Nicotine is addictive and can affect the developing brain.
During pregnancy and throughout the teenage years, the brain is still developing and more sensitive to harm. This makes nicotine especially risky at these stages.
Myth 3: "I only vape or smoke socially, so I'm not addicted"
Fact: Lots of people start by only smoking or vaping occasionally, but it can become a habit faster than you think. Even light or “social” smoking still harms your health.
It still increases your risk of heart disease, lung cancer and other health problems compared with people who don’t smoke at all. There’s also no safe amount of smoking and no set number of puffs that makes someone a “social smoker.”
Even occasional smoking affects your body, your lungs, and the people around you through second-hand smoke. Quitting now, even if you only smoke socially, is one of the best things you can do for your health and for the health of those around you.
Myth 4: “Quitting won’t make much difference and support doesn’t really help"
Fact: Quitting smoking or vaping makes a huge difference to your health, no matter your age. Your body starts repairing itself within hours of stopping.
And support does help. Research shows that getting help from a stop smoking service makes you around three times more likely to quit successfully than trying to quit on your own.
Whatever you're going through, help is available.
For support with mental health, visit Mind, the mental health charity.
If you need support related to drug use, you can talk to FRANK.
Or if you're concerned about your health, you can contact ChatHealth
