In 2019, the proportion of current smokers in the UK was 14.1%, corresponding to around 6.9 million people. Smoking is one of the primary causes of premature mortality and disability, killing an estimated six million people each year.
So far, Stoptober has helped over 1.9 million individuals quit smoking. The first Stoptober campaign in 2012 boosted the chances of quitting smoking in October by 80%, resulting in 350,000 stop attempts. Over the next five years, a similar pattern emerged, with quit attempts being more common in October than in other months.
Local stop smoking services offer competent face-to-face assistance to smokers. Furthermore, pharmacists may offer advice and suggestions to help smokers quit, such as which stop smoking aids may be suitable for them. Support from family and friends is also important in quitting smoking, and these networks are encouraged to assist a smoker when they break up with smoking.
Stoptober’s free quitting help includes:
- A personal quit plan
- Stoptober online communities
- Daily Emails
- Facebook Messenger Bot
- The Stoptober App
Get support to stop smoking
There are a number of ways the NHS can support you to quit smoking in Stoptober. The Stoptober app (available on the App Store and Google Play) shows you how much money you’re saving, and you can subscribe to get a daily email to boost your motivation. You can also join the stop smoking community or receive more personal support.
Don’t forget your local NHS Stop Smoking Services are free, friendly and can massively boost your chances of quitting for good. Your GP, asthma nurse or pharmacist can advise you how to get started, talk to you about treatments like nicotine patches, and check your current medication.
