Housing evidence / case study · working draft
We Can Quit2: community support for women
Women in disadvantaged communities in Dublin and Cork met locally to support one another to stop smoking, with trained facilitators and free nicotine replacement therapy.
01 / THE APPROACH
What was tried
We Can Quit was developed with communities for women facing social and financial disadvantage. The pilot involved eight districts in Dublin and Cork and enrolled 125 women who wanted to stop smoking.
Women offered We Can Quit could attend 12 weekly, 90-minute group sessions in a local community venue. Two trained community facilitators led each group. Women shared experiences, encouraged one another and worked on practical ways to manage quitting. Facilitators also contacted participants between meetings. Nicotine replacement therapy, such as patches alongside a faster-acting product, was optional and free through community pharmacies.
The Irish Cancer Society, Health Service Executive and local community organisations helped organise delivery. Districts were allocated either to We Can Quit or to the HSE's usual individual stop-smoking support, allowing researchers to assess whether a larger trial would be practical.
02 / THE FINDINGS
What was learned
At 12 weeks, saliva tests confirmed that 15 of 65 women offered We Can Quit (23.1%) were not smoking, compared with 8 of 60 offered individual support (13.3%). These figures include everyone allocated to each group; women without smoking-status data were counted as still smoking.
Interviews helped explain the experience behind the numbers. Women valued being understood, encouragement from others trying to quit and a group where setbacks were met without judgement. Pharmacists often provided extra advice between meetings.
Delivery was possible, but keeping people involved was difficult. Fewer than half in either group completed the six-month follow-up. The study therefore offered promising early findings and practical learning, rather than proof that this approach works better over the longer term.
03 / TRANSFER TO WALES
What Wales could learn
Two trained facilitators led weekly groups in familiar venues, with community partners organising delivery and pharmacists providing free nicotine replacement.
Women valued mutual support and understanding. Paperwork, treatment access and keeping contact were difficulties, so a friendly group alone was not the whole delivery system.
Sources & review
Hayes et al., We Can Quit2 pilot trial, Nicotine & Tobacco Research 24(4), 564–573, DOI 10.1093/ntr/ntab242 (online November 2021; issue April 2022). Programme delivery: trial protocol, DOI 10.1186/s40814-019-0511-9. Participant experience: process evaluation, BMC Public Health 22, 1528 (2022), DOI 10.1186/s12889-022-13957-5. Primary sources checked 22 October 2026.
