Smokers in Clare are encouraged to access supports to QUIT this January

The HSE is urging smokers from County Clare who are considering giving up to access the various free supports that available to them from the HSE and the 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.

According to HSE Mid-West, 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 or by emailing quit.midwest@hse.ie.

The HSE-led QUIT service is expanding with extra funding for 2025 which will enable more interactions and assistance for those looking to give up smoking. 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," said a spokesperson.

"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," they added.

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Mary Mac Mahon, HSE Mid-West Tobacco Lead, commented: “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 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, even though they knew the danger of smoking, to hear it from an advisor helped a lot more. Another service user, just shy of six 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, added: “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.”

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Martina Blake, National Lead, HSE Tobacco Free Ireland Programme, commented: “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.”