Residents are being encouraged to think about the moments that matter most to them, as a major regional campaign launches to help more people quit smoking for good.

At the heart of the campaign is a simple but powerful question for the 15,000 people who still smoke in Torbay: “What will you miss?”

The campaign launches today, with 100 days to go until 1 January 2027, when the UK's smokefree generation law takes effect, meaning anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 will never legally be sold tobacco.

The law will stop the next generation from ever starting. It does not change anything for adults who smoke today, and that is who this campaign is aimed at.

Smoking remains the biggest preventable cause of illness and early death in the South West. Every year, around 6,600 people in the region die from smoking-related illnesses; the equivalent of around 18 lives lost every day.

Smokefree South West, a partnership of 15 local authorities – including Torbay –working alongside the NHS, is launching the “What Will You Miss?” campaign ahead of Stoptober to encourage people who smoke to take the first step towards quitting and access free local support.

The campaign will be shown on television, radio and social media to people who smoke across the South West.

At the centre of the campaign is a film that follows a bride on her wedding day, surrounded by family but missing the one person she most wanted there.

It carries a simple message: smoking doesn’t just take years from your life, it takes you away from the moments that matter most.

A recent survey of more than 1,600 people who smoke across the South West found many want to quit, but struggle to convert that motivation into action.

While health concerns are among the strongest reasons people consider stopping smoking, the survey found around two in three people who smoke do not have any current intentions to quit.

The research also found that most people who smoke have already tried to quit at least once, but confidence remains low, with many doubting their ability to stop successfully.

The campaign aims to make the risks of smoking more tangible, motivate quit attempts across the region, and quickly connect people to effective support.

Councillor Hayley Tranter, Torbay’s Cabinet Member for Adult and Community Services, Public Health and Inequalities, said: “Giving up smoking has obvious benefits to our health and wealth but it’s also about the important life moments you’re at risk of missing if you’re no longer around.

“Your Health Torbay offers free, tailored support to help residents across the Bay quit for good. I would urge anyone thinking of quitting to get in touch today to see how they can support you.”

Your Health Torbay can provide nicotine replacement therapy, vapes and support from a trained advisor.

Call them on 01803 422422, email yourhealth.torbay@nhs.net or visit their website: https://yourhealthtorbay.co.uk/.

You can also download the Smoke Free app. The app can provide nicotine replacement therapy and vapes delivered to the users door, support from a trained advisor, progress and savings trackers and access to community chat groups.

Premium features usually cost £60 but Torbay residents can access them for free when they enter their postcode.

Find out more about the Smoke Free app