Queer as Smoke
aims to raise awareness of smoking in LGBTQ+ communities and promote local smoking cessation provision, including the offer of vaping, in Kirklees and Calderdale.
Tips for Queer smokers:
Look for support
Your family, chosen family or friends can support your efforts to stop smoking by listening and talking to you, or suggesting rewards when you meet certain milestones. Having a strong support network can massively increase your success rate.
Reduce any financial stress
With the current price of a packet of 20 cigarettes anywhere between £11 – £18, the cost of smoking has never been more expensive. Quitting puts more money in your pocket instantly and you’ll be helping your monthly budget go that little bit further.
Take back control
As well as taking over your thoughts, smoking can take vast amounts of time out of your day. Even shopping for cigarettes or looking for somewhere to smoke and going outside for a cigarette takes up time. You’ll be free to chose how to spend your time and you’ll be able to do things your way.
Stop for your mental health
You may think that smoking supports your mental wellbeing, and helps you to relax, deal with stress and anxiety, and cope with life's difficulties. In fact, the opposite is true. Stopping smoking boosts mental health and wellbeing.
Don't get discouraged!
Quitting smoking is a challenging journey and can typically take an individual multiple attempts to quit for good. No matter what, you should feel pride in your journey.
Vaping
You don’t have to quit smoking on your own - Kirklees Wellness Service offers support to quit and they can prescribe E-cigarettes, also known as vapes or ENDS (Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems) vaping products to help you quit.
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Yorkshire Smokefree Calderdale are also offering vapes as an aid to stop smoking (alongside Nicotine Replacement Therapy and behavioural support).
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Smokers are three times as likely to quit using stop smoking services versus quitting alone.
Gay Times, 2021
Smoking Cessation
For more information about our smoking cessation service, click here.
As Queer people we are more likely to smoke than the general population. In fact, LGBTQ+ people are one and a half times more likely to smoke cigarettes than our straight counterparts.
Stu Hosker, Co-Founder, Queer Voices Heard