Lancashire’s specialist stop smoking service, Quit Squad, is encouraging smokers across the county to quit cigarettes in Stoptober.
This October marks the 11th anniversary of Stoptober, the month-long campaign aims to empower people to give up smoking during October, as evidence shows people are five times more likely to quit for good if they can make it to at least 28 days smoke free.
Most smokers say they want to quit, and latest statistics show more than a third of smokers (36.6%) tried to quit in the last 12 months as smoking remains the single biggest cause of preventable illness and death in England.
Stopping smoking brings multiple benefits to health, some immediate and others that build over time. After just 20 minutes pulse rates will begin to return to normal and after 8 hours oxygen levels begin to recover and the harmful carbon monoxide in the body has halved. By 48 hours the body is carbon monoxide free and the lungs are beginning to clear our mucus and senses of taste and smell improve.
The benefits of stopping smoking can also be financial, analysis from the Office of National Statics shows the average smoker, buying and smoking 20 cigarettes a day is able to save around £4639.15 a year when they quit.
Tracy Sutton, Quit Squad manager said:
“Stoptober is a great time to quit smoking. There's no doubt that stopping smoking isn’t easy, but our team of experts at Quit Squad offer excellent support and many people who use the service go on to stop for good.
Research shows you're much more likely to give up for good with the help of services like this. We can support you to realise you are stronger and better prepared than you think to reach your goal of a smokefree life.”
John Ferber used the Quit Squad services in 2019 and is now celebrating being smokefree for over 3 years. At 72 years old John is proof that it is never too late to stop smoking.
John commented:
“Quitting smoking gave me the confidence to start using the treadmill again and with Quit Squad’s support I no longer find certain situations triggering and have the confidence to know I won’t relapse, I’m so proud to now be a non-smoker.”
If you live in Lancashire and want to talk to someone about quitting and need support, Quit Squad is available to anyone over the age of 12. The team of specialist advisors will support you with your own quit plan and increasing your confidence so you can quit this Stoptober.
For smokers looking for pocket-sized support, you can download the ‘My Quit Route App’ for free at Visit their website and select ‘click here to quit now’ or call the team on 0800 328 6297.
