To mark national No Smoking Day volunteers from the Filter, which is run by ASH Wales, will offer support to students wanting to quit smoking and show them how much they can save if they take the decision to quit on March 13th.

ASH Wales is supporting the British Heart Foundation which runs No Smoking Day to highlight the impact of smoking not only on health, but on increasingly tight budgets.

The Filter has worked out a handy guide to illustrate what quitting can save you and what you could spend the money on instead…

• 20 a day over a month could cost you up to £225 which can buy a Netbook for all your social networking
• 10 pack a day over a year will set you back £1,387 – which can buy you an all-inclusive two-week getaway for 2 to Egypt
• A pack of 20 every weekend for a ‘social smoker’ will cost £390 per year – why not treat yourself to an ipad mini instead?
• 20 a day over a year will cost you £2,730 which can buy a pretty decent 3-year old Ford Ka

The Filter is Wales’s only dedicated service for young people offering advice and support about smoking and how to quit. The service offers training to professionals working with young people and works with young people themselves to raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco. As well as a quitline, the Filter communicates with young people via social media, a dedicated website and a textline.

Jamie Jones Mead, manager of the Filter, said:

“No Smoking Day is a great opportunity for people across Wales to take the plunge and quit. Even if you’ve tried many times before it usually takes several attempts before you’re successful, and there’s support out there if you’re ready. We’ll be in Aberystwyth on March 13th to talk to students about smoking and the impact it has on them, and to encourage them to see the long term benefits of quitting smoking, not only for their health but their pockets too!”