Smokers encouraged to give quitting a try this Stoptober
Help is at hand for anyone trying to quit smoking in Cheshire West and Chester during Stoptober and beyond.
The 11th annual mass quitting campaign takes place across the UK throughout the month of October, with thousands of smokers taking part nationwide.
Cheshire West and Chester Council and Council company Brio Leisure, which provides inclusive stop smoking services, are joining the call for smokers to try to stop this year.
Cllr Val Armstrong, the Council's Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, said:
Stopping smoking is one of the best things a smoker can do for their health - and their finances. You can breathe more easily, stay more active and save money just by trying to quit, with health benefits almost as soon as you stop. National evidence from the Stoptober campaign shows that if you can make 28 days smoke free you are five times as likely to quit for good, so it's well worth a try during this national movement. Locally, Brio's services to help you quit are friendly and non-judgmental, and available all year round if this Stoptober isn't the right time for you - but joining more than 2.5 million others who will try to quit during Stoptober can give you the motivation, confidence and strength to succeed.
Nearly six million adults in England still smoke and it remains the single leading cause of preventable death, with 64,000 deaths a year.
Ruth Armstrong, Lead for Smoking Cessation at Brio Leisure, said:
Plucking up the courage to go smokefree can be hard and even just giving it a go is a huge achievement. It can take people a number of quit attempts before they quit for good, so if you've tried before, don’t let it put you off trying again. People who engage in our stop smoking programme often talk about how positive their experience was and how much better they feel; physically, emotionally and financially. The Go SmokeFree team are really passionate about supporting you through your personal journey. They will listen and support you as best they can and provide products and tools to help you along the way.
Ruth is holding a social media questions and answers week from Monday, 10 October.
Smokers and their families and friends are invited to send in their questions about quitting by Tweeting @Go_CheshireWest, messaging the Council on Facebook or emailing their questions to: publichealth@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk.
Stoptober offers a range of free quitting tools including the NHS Quit Smoking app, Facebook messenger bot, Stoptober Facebook online communities, daily emails and text messages, and an online Personal Quit Plan tool. Search 'Stoptober' online for more information.
For more information about the Cheshire West and Chester stop smoking service and how to access support visit: cheshirechangehub.org or call 0300 777 0033.