Quit Your Way offers free support and free stop smoking products.
Our Specialist Service has a choice of support options available to help you stop smoking, including:
- face to face support
- drop-in sessions
- telephone support
If you want support to stop smoking, please contact us using the self-referral form below.
Support from Quit Your Way (QYW)
Through Quit Your Way, you can receive free support from a stop smoking advisor. Your first appointment is usually half an hour. The advisor will help you fill out the initial paperwork to join.
The advisor will offer support and help you choose the stop smoking products that are most suitable for your quit attempt. They will explain how to use each option, demonstrate their use and make sure you understand how often to use them.
You will either receive your products:
- there and then, if attending in person at a QYW drop-in or QYW clinic
- by post, if you are receiving telephone support
You have the option to:
- set a quit date there and then, or
- cut down to quit (over a maximum of four weeks)
Follow on sessions are usually 15 minutes, weekly or fortnightly. You will receive support until you feel confident enough to stay stopped on your own.
Stop Smoking Clinics
Quit Your Way runs Stop Smoking Clinics in various locations across Ayrshire. The clinics run in a variety of ways:
- group sessions
- one to one with appointment
- drop in clinics
For the latest dates/times/venues view details of your local clinics for North, South and East Ayrshire.
Quit Your Way also offers telephone support if the times of the clinics do not suit you.
Stopping smoking is one of the most positive steps a person can take to improve their health and wellbeing. Although quitting can feel challenging, especially because nicotine is addictive, many people succeed with the right support and planning. Stopping smoking is a process rather than a single event, and it’s normal to experience cravings or difficulties along the way. Help is available through stop smoking services, medications and behavioural support, all of which significantly increase the chances of quitting successfully.
The benefits of stopping smoking begin almost immediately and continue to grow over time. Within days, breathing becomes easier and circulation improves while longer‑term benefits include a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer and lung conditions. Stopping smoking also improves energy levels, sense of taste and smell as well as overall quality of life. Beyond health, people who quit often notice financial savings and feel more in control of their health and future.
Use the NHS Inform Quit Calculator tool to see how much you’ve spent on cigarettes and think about what else you could put that money towards.
Getting ready to stop smoking involves preparing both physically and mentally for change. This might include setting a quit date, identifying personal reasons for quitting and understanding situations or emotions that trigger the urge to smoke. Making a clear plan, telling friends or family and arranging support from a stop smoking service can all help build confidence. Thinking ahead about how to manage cravings increases the likelihood of staying smokefree.
Stop smoking medication can greatly improve the chances of quitting by reducing withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) provides controlled doses of nicotine without the harmful chemicals found in tobacco smoke and is available in forms such as patches, gum, lozenges, inhalators and mouth sprays. Using a combination of NRT products is safe and often more effective than using one type alone. Varenicline is another effective stop smoking medication that works by reducing cravings and blocking the rewarding effects of smoking. These treatments are most effective when combined with behavioural support from trained advisors.
Stopping smoking after a relapse is still possible, and a relapse does not mean failure. Many people make several quit attempts before stopping for good, and each attempt provides valuable learning about what worked and what didn’t. Reflecting on the relapse, adjusting the quit plan, and restarting medication or support can strengthen the next attempt. With continued encouragement and the right tools in place, people can regain confidence and move forward towards a smokefree life.
Support from your Community Pharmacy
You can pop into your local pharmacy and join their Stop Smoking Service. They will offer you free weekly support along with free stop smoking products for up to 12 weeks to help you quit.
You will be expected to set a quit date and remain smoke free.
This service is for people who are highly motivated and confident about stopping smoking. If you are struggling or feel you need a little more help, you can attend a Quit Your Way drop-in session or one to one appointment for extra support, even when you are attending the pharmacy scheme. Ask your pharmacy to arrange this if you think you’d benefit from it.
In the first week, you will sign up to the service, and a member of the pharmacy team will ask you to blow into a carbon monoxide (CO) monitor. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas from cigarette smoke. When measured on a CO monitor, it shows how much smoke is in the bloodstream. Higher readings mean less oxygen is reaching vital organs such as the heart and brain. CO leaves the body quickly – often within 24–48 hours of stopping smoking. It can be encouraging to see the level fall as your quit continues.
All pharmacies in Ayrshire and Arran provide support although opening times of pharmacies may vary.
Get in touch
If you would like support to help stop smoking or to talk to one of our Quit Your Way team, please contact us using the self-referral form below.
You can also contact us by email or telephone or follow us on Facebook.
Freephone: 0800 783 9132
Email: QYWAyrshire@aapct.scot.nhs.uk
Facebook – Quit Your Way Ayrshire