No Smoking Day campaign to light up St John’s Beacon tonight

On No Smoking Day 2025 (March 12), health leaders across Cheshire and Merseyside are coming together to launch ‘Smoking Ends Here’, a powerful new initiative aimed at creating a smoke-free future for the region.

No Smoking Day is part of an ongoing commitment to reduce smoking rates, raise awareness of the health benefits of quitting, and offer practical support to those looking to stop.

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. 

Throughout the day, public health messages will be displayed on the structure, highlighting 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.

In Cheshire, an event will be held in the Grosvenor Shopping Centre in Chester city centre, 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.”

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

Get the latest news for Liverpool here.