Almost two fifths of former smokers think the ban on smoking in public places helped them to quit, research shows.
The figures, released on the fifth anniversary of the smoking ban in public places in England, found that 37% of former smokers believe the ban helped them to kick the habit.
However, it is still estimated that 10 million people in the UK smoke, according to the research conducted by Pfizer.
A quarter of current smokers said they were happy to go outside to smoke whatever the weather, the research suggests.
One in five smokers who want to quit have sought medical help, the poll of 6,300 people found.
Take a look at these experts tips on how to quit smoking by hypnotherapist, Elle Dormer...
The ban on smoking in public places in England came into effect on July 1 2007, spelling an end to drinkers having a cigarette with their pint in pubs, bars and clubs.
If you haven't managed to stub out the habit yet, take a look at these tips on quitting by Patrick Holford, a nutritional expert and author of How To Quit Without Feeling S**t:
- Balance your blood sugar levels by eating low GI foods. For an example of which foods are best, take a look here. (link to GI diet)
- In the first two weeks giving up, mix 8g of vitamin C with water and apple juice, as your immune system will start to kick in and this will strengthen your resistance to illness.
- Take 50mg of niacin (vitamin B3) twice a day with food as this will reduce those pesky nicotine cravings.
- If you have trouble sleeping due to the cigarette urges, take 100mg 5-HTP (a form of amino acid tryptophan) an hour before bed. This will help to naturally ease you to sleep.