National No Smoking Day - 11th March 2026
Donna Peat, ARNS Nicotine Dependency Lead
National No Smoking Day, led by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), highlights the vital role respiratory professionals play in reducing tobacco harm.
As ARNS members, we are routinely at the frontline of smoking-related disease across acute care, lung function testing, pleural services, sleep diagnostics, bronchoscopy, and community respiratory clinics. Smoking remains the leading preventable cause of respiratory morbidity and mortality in the UK, and we see its impact daily through:
- Accelerated FEV₁ decline
- Increased COPD exacerbations
- Poorer asthma control
- Greater peri-procedural risk
- Delayed recovery and wound healing
- Higher complication rates after thoracic procedures
Diagnostic encounters often serve as powerful teachable moments; a spirometry trace, CT finding, or pleural intervention can open the door to meaningful behavior change. And importantly it is never too late to quit. Evidence shows that smoking cessation:
- Slows lung function decline in COPD
- Reduces exacerbation rates
- Improves treatment response
- Lowers post‑procedure complication risks
- Improves outcomes following lung cancer diagnosis
The Power of Brief Interventions
ARNS clinicians may not always see themselves as stop‑smoking specialists, yet a 30‑second intervention can:
- Increase quit attempts
- Boost uptake of pharmacotherapy
- Encourage engagement with local stop‑smoking services
Make It Routine
National No Smoking Day is an opportunity to reflect on how consistently we:
- Document smoking status
- Deliver very brief advice
- Signpost to support
- Embed cessation into procedural pathways
As ARNS members, we hold the conversations that can change trajectories, because every smoke‑free future begins with one brief moment of advice.
- Donna Peat, ARNS Nicotine Dependency Lead