IF YOU are looking to stub out your smoking habit, then Stoptober could be just the kick you need to get rid of your habit for good.
The annual challenge encourages smokers to commit to quitting for the month of October – quit smoking for 28 days and you’re five times more likely to quit for good.
So far 2.5 million smokers have made a quit attempt with the campaign since it first launched and you could be next.
To support you, Be Well Tameside’s health and wellbeing services include help to stop smoking, and they supported 901 residents in 2022/23.
Visit their event at Ashton Outdoor Market (or on the Tameside Wellbeing Corner in Ashton Indoor Market if the weather is bad) on Tuesday, September 26.
From 10am until 3.30pm the service will offer information, support and advice to residents who would like to take their first steps to stopping smoking.
People who live, work or have a GP in Tameside can access free, flexible, face to face or telephone support through Be Well Tameside as well as six months free access to 24/7 stop smoking support through the Greater Manchester Smokefree App.
Stop smoking support can also be accessed by speaking to your GP or local pharmacy.
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, the range of stop smoking aids, information on how vaping can help you quit, and expert support from local Stop Smoking Services.
More than five million adults in England smoke and it remains the biggest behavioural cause of preventable illness and death, with 64,000 deaths a year.
Quitting will allow you to start moving better, breathe more easily and give you more money to spend.
Councillor Eleanor Wills, Tameside Council’s Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Population Health, said: “By joining the thousands across in England in stopping smoking this October, you will be doing the best thing you’ve ever done for your physical and mental health.
“We continue to work hard with our partners in supporting residents to quit smoking and the Council’s flexible Be Well Tameside stop smoking service, along with our Pharmacies and GP surgeries in Tameside is there to help you quit for good.
“Join us this Stoptober and commit to quit by taking advantage of our free stop smoking services and the other resources on offer from Stoptober.”
- You can contact Be Well Tameside by email at bewelltameside@tameside.gov.uk or call them on 0161 342 5050. Visit their website here.
For more information on the Stoptober resources, visit the Better Health Quit Smoking Website.