🚬 Smoking in front of a ‘No Smoking’ sign? Dua Lipa's March 2025 photos are a striking example of how cigarettes appear in celebrity culture. ASH Wales' research found no identified tobacco partnership. So when does smoking become part of the aesthetic, and why does that matter?
More than half of Welsh adults who have heard of vapes wrongly believe vaping is as harmful as smoking or worse, new ASH Wales YouGov findings show.
A new UK excise duty on vaping products starts today, 1 October 2026. Here is what the £2.20 per 10ml duty, new vape duty stamps and higher tobacco duty mean in Wales.
The full ASH Wales Annual Adult Population Survey 2026 is now live, with new Wales evidence on smoking, vaping, quitting, inequalities and public attitudes.
New 2025 SHRN data shows regular vaping and smoking have fallen among secondary school learners in Wales. We look at the latest figures, what they mean and why prevention work still matters.
What does peer pressure look like? Sometimes it is obvious. Sometimes it looks more like a joke, a …
NRT gives you nicotine without tobacco smoke. It can reduce cravings and withdrawal while you get used to not smoking.
Nicotine is what makes cigarettes addictive, but the smoke from burning tobacco causes most of the serious harm.
NRT gives you nicotine in a much safer form, without tar or carbon monoxide, so you can deal with cravings while you break the smoking routine.
Steady support + quick relief often works well.
A patch can give a steady level of nicotine through the day. A faster-acting product such as gum, lozenges or spray can help when a sudden craving hits.
You do not need to pick one forever. Many people use more than one type.
Slow and steady
Worn on the skin. Useful for background cravings through the day.
Fast acting
Useful for cravings that come and go. Different strengths are available.
Very fast acting
Useful when you want nicotine quickly during a strong craving.
Fast acting
Useful if you miss the hand-to-mouth part of smoking as well as the nicotine.
Using too little NRT can leave you battling cravings unnecessarily. The right strength depends on how much you smoke, when you smoke and which product you use.
A stop-smoking advisor or pharmacist can help you choose the right strength and combination. Follow the product instructions and ask if you are unsure.
Nicotine pouches are not licensed stop-smoking medicines in the UK. If your aim is to quit smoking, licensed NRT, stop-smoking medicines or vaping have a stronger evidence base.
Help Me Quit provides free NRT as part of NHS stop-smoking support in Wales. You can also ask a community pharmacy about local stop-smoking services.