Stoptober is back and health experts are calling on smokers in North Lancashire and South Cumbria to join the 2.5 million others in England who have made a quit attempt with the campaign since it first launched.
University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) is backing this year’s Stoptober campaign, and is sharing helpful information and advice on how to set a date and stop smoking this October.
Stoptober is as important as it has ever been, with stopping smoking remaining one of the best things a smoker can do to improve their health.
Dr Christopher Chiswell (pictured, right), Public Health Consultant for UHMBT, said: “Our aim is to support our patients and people in the communities we serve to be as healthy and happy as possible.
“More than five million adults in England still smoke and it remains the biggest behavioural cause of preventable illness and death, with 64,000 deaths a year.
“When you stop smoking good things start to happen. Quitting will enable you to start moving better, breathe more easily and give you more money to spend. Stopping smoking not only improves your physical health, but can also boost your mental health and wellbeing and save you money.
“There are so many other health and wellbeing benefits of quitting, and it’s never too late to stop. Smokers in England can save £38 a week by quitting smoking. That’s £167 per month and £2,000 per year from quitting smoking.
“There is a huge amount of support to quit available to people in North Lancashire and South Cumbria, and you can choose the way to quit that works for you.”
New research from a Censuswide survey of ex-smokers found that nearly 95 per cent of participants saw positive changes in their life soon after quitting. Of those who noticed improvements, nearly one in three rated feeling healthier as the single best thing to happen to them since stopping smoking.
Dr Chiswell added: “If you make it to 28 days smoke free, you are five times more likely to quit for good.
“Once you stop smoking, some of the benefits are immediate and some are longer term. After 20 minutes your pulse rate starts to return to normal and after 48 hours the body has flushed out all carbon monoxide, your lungs start to clear out mucus and your ability to taste and smell is improved. After one year your risk of having a heart attack is halved compared to a smoker, and after 10 years the risk of death from lung cancer falls to half that of a smoker.
“It's much easier to stop smoking when you get the right support and there are lots of options to choose from.”
Stoptober offers a range of free quitting tools including the NHS Quit Smoking app, Facebook messenger bot, Stoptober Facebook online communities, daily emails and SMS, and an online Personal Quit Plan tool. It provides 
information and advice on proven quitting methods, including the range of stop smoking aids, vaping and expert support from local Stop Smoking Services. Just search ‘Stoptober’. GPs and pharmacists can also give advice and tips to help smokers quit.
For more information on local stop smoking services and Stoptober, visit the Better Health Quit Smoking Website on this link.