Directors of Public and Population Health in Cheshire and Merseyside have come together to launch ‘Smoking Ends Here’ a bold new initiative to create a smoke-free future for the sub-region. The campaign, part of a commitment to reduce smoking rates, will shine a spotlight on the benefits of quitting smoking while supporting residents to take the first step towards a healthier life.

A key moment of the day will see Liverpool’s iconic St John’s Beacon transformed into a striking 480ft cigarette, serving as a powerful visual symbol of the harmful effects of smoking. In Chester, city landmarks including the Eastgate Clock will be lit in red. The campaign aims to highlight the benefits of stopping smoking such as:

• Quitters will have more energy in just 12 weeks, plus better circulation and lower blood pressure.
• Their bodies will start to repair just 20 minutes after stopping smoking.
• Breathing will improve in just three months. Lung function will also increase by up to 10%.
• Their risk of a heart attack lowers after just one year, as does the risk of having a stroke and angina.
• Taste and smell improve in just 48 hours.

A No Smoking Day event in the Grosvenor Shopping Centre in Chester city centre is taking place, offering free information and support to anybody interested in stopping smoking. This is one of a series of community engagement initiatives alongside Healthwatch in Cheshire and Merseyside throughout March, which bring tailored support and information directly to local communities

Alongside this awareness-raising activity, a brand-new website will be launched, smokingendshere.com, offering expert advice, access to free support, and practical tools to help people quit smoking for good.

Professor Ian Ashworth, Director of Population Health for NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, said:
“We know that smoking remains one of the biggest causes of preventable illness and death in our area, and that it disproportionately affects the poorest in our communities. Smoking Ends Here is about showing people that quitting smoking is one of the best things they can do for their health – and that the benefits start almost immediately. By coming together across Cheshire and Merseyside, we can create a future where smoking is a thing of the past.”

The campaign comes as The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which aims to ban the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 1 January 2009, is shortly expected to have its Third Reading in Parliament. There is broad public and cross-party support for the measures in the Bill which will radically reduce smoking-related deaths and disease by ending smoking for the next generation.

Dr Sarah McNulty, Lead Director of Public Health for All Together Smoke-Free Cheshire and Merseyside and local Director of Public Health for Knowsley, added:
“One in ten adults in Cheshire and Merseyside still smoke, and we want to support as many as possible to stop. This campaign is a major step towards reducing our smoking rates and delivering better health and cost savings to our subregion. With the Tobacco and Vapes Bill expected to become law later this year, we have a real opportunity to drive change at both a national and local level. Our message is clear: stopping smoking is life-changing, and we are here to help.”

Key provisions of the Bill include:

• Tightening controls on vape product design, marketing and advertising, preventing the targeting of young people.
• Licensing for tobacco and vape sales, ensuring responsible retailing and limiting access to young people.
• Powers to extend smoke-free areas to outdoor public spaces, reduce exposure to second-hand smoke and consult on vape-free places.

Councillor Louise Gittins, Chair of the Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership said:

“Tobacco harms our communities, our NHS and the economy, so we are committed to creating a healthier future for everyone. Smoking Ends Here is a one-stop shop for anyone who wants support to quit smoking, or to know more about tobacco and the harm it can cause.”

Attending today’s event was 47-year-old Stephanie Bath of Chester on a Plate Food Tours. For her, smoking was never just a habit—it was intertwined with the highs and lows of her life. From her early years attending gigs in the ‘90s, where smoking felt like part of the scene, to using it as a coping mechanism through serious health battles, quitting has been a journey of self-awareness, resilience, and change.

Stephanie, based in Frodsham, has faced more health challenges than most. Diagnosed with kidney disease early in life, she has undergone multiple transplants and spent years on dialysis. After her second transplant failed, she was diagnosed with ADHD following an MRI scan. Around the same time, she spent six months in Macclesfield’s eating disorder unit, where doctors linked her smoking to control—one of the few things she felt she had power over while managing strict dialysis restrictions.

“In between transplants, I didn’t drink alcohol at all, and it made me less inclined to smoke,” Stephanie recalls. “I was still a bit afraid of causing issues.” But when her second transplant failed, that changed. “I wasn’t bothered at all and went back to smoking. My partner smoked, and the doctors at Macclesfield thought it was about control—maybe it was.”

When Stephanie moved to Vietnam for four years, her smoking habits shifted again. “There, I started drinking again and smoking heavily—maybe because I could, and it felt like a bit of freedom. But it was obviously not the right thing to do.”

Returning to the UK for another transplant meant a fresh start. She gave up smoking completely, focusing on building a new business and embracing a healthier lifestyle. But as stress crept in, so did the occasional cigarette. “At first, it was just socially. Then after COVID and a relationship change, still on dialysis, I started to smoke more regularly. Maybe just the change of situation and a bit of stress?”

Over the last few years, Stephanie has battled with the habit, trying vapes (which only made her crave cigarettes more) and being unable to use nicotine patches due to medication interactions. Instead, she’s adopted a mindful approach. 

Running has helped—Stephanie has completed half-marathons in the past and knows that when she prioritises fitness and healthy eating, the desire to smoke fades. Work pressure sometimes pushes her in the other direction, but she remains committed to progress rather than perfection.

“I’m happy in this business,” she says, reflecting on where she is today. “I’ve gone through phases of being super healthy and not smoking at all, and sometimes it creeps back in. But I’m making an effort. I don’t want to go back to old habits.”

Stephanie’s story is one of resilience—not just in overcoming major health struggles but in the ongoing battle to break free from smoking for good. Her journey proves that quitting isn’t always a straight path, but with self-awareness and determination, change is always possible

For more information, visit smokingendshere.com or follow the campaign on social media using #smokingendshere.