Stoptober is your chance to join thousands of people around the country who are taking part in Stoptober and quitting smoking.
Are you up for taking on the challenge and achieving one off the most important changes you can make to benefit your health?
Defeating cigarettes can give you back your freedom and help you become healthier, fitter, save you money and even look better.
There is no denying that this has been a challenging year for everyone. COVID-19 has had a huge impact on our way of life.
Not being able to go out and enjoy many of the activities that we used to, whilst not being able to meet up with family and friends has been tough to adapt to.
Yet, it has also brought home the importance of looking after our health and wellbeing, and quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do to improve your health.
We know that smoking increases the risk of contracting respiratory infections and can lead to more severe symptoms from COVID-19.
Smoking is also a major cause of many other health conditions such as heart disease, lung disease and cancer.
Throughout this pandemic over a million people in the UK have quit smoking and many more are attempting to quit.
Stoptober is a great time to join those that have already quit as we leave summer behind and begin to enter the winter months.
The best way to quit smoking is by using effective products such Nicotine Replacement Therapy or Champix in combination with specialist support from the Stop Smoking Service. Together it means you are three times more likely to successfully quit.
Maybe you are vaping to quit smoking and although we cannot provide E-cigarettes, we are more than happy to support you alongside them.
Cllr Louise Jackson, Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing said: “Quitting smoking is the single most important thing you can do to improve your physical and mental health. There are lots of resources and services available locally. If you are thinking about joining the Stoptober campaign, I would urge you to sign up today and join all those people who will be quitting this October.
“There is a belief from many smokers that smoking reduces anxiety and stress, which is in turn causing many smokers to put off quitting.
“The reality is that instead of helping people to relax, smoking increases anxiety and tension. When smokers light up a cigarette, the feeling of reduced stress or relaxation is temporary and is soon replaced by withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
“It is never too late to benefit from stopping, smoking remains the nation’s biggest killer with half of long-term smokers dying prematurely from a smoking disease.”
Take up the challenge today and change your life by downloading our “My Quit Route app” via your normal app store, referring yourself via www.thestopsmokingservice.co.uk or by calling us on 0800 013 0553.
