‘WHEN YOU STOP SMOKING, GOOD THINGS START TO HAPPEN’
Stoptober is back, calling on smokers in England to join the 2.5 million others who have made a quit attempt with the campaign since it first launched. Over 5 million adults in England still smoke, and it remains the biggest behavioural cause of preventable illness and death, with 64,000 deaths a year. This year's Stoptober mass quit attempt is as important as ever, with quitting remaining one of the best things a smoker can do for their health. That’s why this year’s Stoptober campaign is encouraging smokers to join the thousands of others who are committing to quitting for the month of October – quit smoking for 28 days and you’re five times more likely to quit for good.
When you stop smoking good things start to happen - quitting will allow you to start moving better, breathe more easily and give you more money to spend. 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, including further information on how vaping can help you quit, and expert support from local Stop Smoking Services. Just search ‘Stoptober’ for more information or visit the Better Health - Quit Smoking Website.
Physical benefits to stopping smoking
Stopping smoking can significantly improve your health in ways you might not expect. Once you stop smoking, some benefits are immediate, some are longer term:
After 20 minutes - pulse rate starts to return to normal
After 8 hours - oxygen levels are recovering & harmful carbon monoxide in the blood is reduced by 50%
After 48 hours - the body has flushed out all carbon monoxide, lungs start to clear out mucus and ability to taste and smell is improved
After 72 hours - bronchial tubes begin to relax, breathing becomes easier and energy levels increase
After 2-12 weeks - blood is pumping to the heart and muscles better because circulation has improved
After 3-9 months - coughs, wheezing and breathing problems improve as lung function increases by up to 10%
After 1 year - risk of heart attack has reduced by half compared to a smoker.
After 10 years - risk of death from lung cancer falls to half of that of a smoker
After 15 years - risk of heart attack falls to the same as someone who has never smoked
Mental health benefits to stopping smoking
Evidence shows that once people have got past the short-term withdrawal stage of quitting, they have reduced anxiety, depression and stress and increased positive mood compared with people who continue to smoke
For symptoms of anxiety and depression, stopping smoking is as effective as taking antidepressants. Just 6 weeks after quitting, people start feeling happier as well as healthier
Financial benefits to stopping smoking
On average, smokers in England can save £38 a week by quitting smoking. That’s £167 per month and £2,000 per year from quitting smoking