Advice for Stoptober challenge to help local people quit smoking

The second “Stoptober” campaign aiming to help local people quit smoking is being supported by the Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

Specialist Stop Smoking Practitioners from Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust and Manchester Mental Health & Social Care Trust will be on hand to give support and advice on how to stop smoking on 7 October at The Link Bridge, Rochdale Infirmary between 1pm and 4pm. 

People who want to give up are encouraged to sign up to the campaign, which aims to helping the UK's eight million smokers to stop smoking for 28 days. 

Research shows that if you can stop smoking for 28 days, you are five times more likely to give up permanently.

In Stoptober last year, 160,000 people across England stopped smoking with help from information packs, an app, website and free support. The same will be available again this year.

Starting on 1 October, smokers wishing to attempt to go smokefree for at least 28 days can sign up to Stoptober for a wide range of free support, guidance and encouragement to help them quit.

Benefits of quitting

• Reduce the risk of a serious smoking related disease from middle age 
• You’ll improve your general fitness 
• You’ll save hundreds if not thousands of pounds for nicer things 
• Your skin and teeth will improve 
• You won’t smell of smoke 
• If you smoke indoors, you’ll protect loved ones from poisonous smoke 

Quitters signing up at www.smokefree.nhs.uk/Stoptober will receive a Stoptober pack full of information and:

• A 28-day mobile phone app and a text message service with daily updates and quitting advice. 
• Detailed tools and tips for coping .
• Encouragement support from thousands of other people going through the same thing.