Smoking costs Hampshire more than £900m a year and 100,000 adults still smoke. This Stoptober, text QUIT to 80011 for free local help, no GP visit needed.

Smoking costs Hampshire more than £900 million a year, according to figures released by Smokefree Hampshire for the start of Stoptober. The county’s free stop smoking service, which covers the New Forest, is asking anyone who has tried to quit before to have another go this October, this time with help.

About 8.6% of adults in Hampshire smoke, the service says, which is roughly 100,000 people. The figures come from the Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Ready Reckoner published in May 2026, using smoking rates averaged over 2022 to 2024 and 2025 prices.

Why a second try is worth it

The service’s message this year is aimed at people whose last attempt did not stick. It says people who use specialist stop smoking support are around three times more likely to quit successfully than people who try on their own.

Leighton Atchison-Warne, head of service for Smokefree Hampshire, said:

“If you’ve tried to quit before and it didn’t quite work out, don’t let that put you off trying again. Nicotine is highly addictive and it can take more than one attempt to quit for good.

“The important thing is that you don’t have to do it alone. With the right support, you’re much more likely to succeed, and our team is here to help you find an approach that works for you.”

What the council says it costs

Simon Bryant, director of public health at Hampshire County Council, which pays for the service, put a household figure on it: someone spending £15 a day on cigarettes would spend more than £5,000 a year.

“Smoking remains one of the leading causes of preventable ill health and premature death, and these latest figures highlight the considerable impact it continues to have across Hampshire for individuals and communities.

“Behind those figures are real people living with smoking-related illness, as well as the wider impact on families, communities and local services. Helping people to quit smoking remains a public health priority, which is why we continue to invest in free support for Hampshire residents.

“Stoptober is a great opportunity for anyone who smokes to take a positive step towards better health, and I encourage people to make use of the support available through Smokefree Hampshire.”

What it means for you

  • The help is free. Trained stop smoking advisers work with you through the quit attempt, and the service includes free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).
  • You do not need your GP. Text QUIT to 80011, or sign up at smokefreehampshire.co.uk/stoptober.
  • Who can use it: anyone aged 12 or over who uses nicotine or tobacco and lives, works, studies or is registered with a GP in Hampshire. That includes everyone in the New Forest district, from Totton and Hythe to Lymington, Ringwood and Fordingbridge.

Smokefree Hampshire is funded by Hampshire County Council from the public health grant. The Hampshire figures above cover the whole county; the service has not published a separate New Forest figure.