With National No Smoking Day just days away, pharmacists are urging people who want to quit the habit to seek help and support from their local pharmacy.

Around 7,000 people die every year in Ireland from a smoking-related illness, however research suggests that at least two in three smokers want to quit.

According to the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU), quitting smoking will lead to immediate health benefits. In fact, within 20 minutes of quitting, a person's heart rate and blood pressure drops.

Carbon monoxide is eliminated from the body within two days of quitting. After three days, energy levels increase and breathing improves.

Meanwhile, one year after quitting, a person's risk of developing heart disease is significantly lower than that of a person who has continued to smoke.

"Research shows that 70% of people who do smoke wish to give up. A successful outcome for a patient depends on a number of different things including the smoker's temperament, the severity of their addiction, how many times they've tried to quit before and their motivation for quitting," explained IPU vice-president, Kathy Maher.

She added that pharmacists are available to support quitters and ‘can help patients find what works best for them'.

National No Smoking Day takes place on Wednesday, February 13.