The Public Health Agency is encouraging smokers in Northern Ireland to use World No Tobacco Day on 31 May as a prompt to quit nicotine products.

Over 500 free specialist stop smoking services operate across the region, funded by the PHA.

Doreen Regan of the PHA said smoking remains the biggest preventable cause of ill-health, disability and death, causing more than 2,000 deaths and over 25,000 hospital admissions each year.

She noted that around 14% of adults still smoke, more than 200,000 people, and highlighted the deliberate design of tobacco and nicotine products to mask harms and sustain addiction.

Regan also pointed to rising vaping among young people and new legislation banning sales of tobacco and vapes to minors.

Naomi Thompson of Cancer Focus NI said people who use specialist support are four times more likely to quit successfully.

In 2024/25, 9,587 people set a quit date through PHA-funded services, with almost six in ten reported smoke-free at four weeks.