Stoptober returns to help Shropshire smokers give quitting a go

Smokers across Shropshire are being urged to take part in this year’s Stoptober, the national 28-day stop smoking challenge.

The mass quitting challenge from Public Health England kicks off on Saturday 1 October 2016, and encourages smokers to join the nearly 15 million people across the country who have already quit.

Last year over 1,000 people in Shropshire signed up to Stoptober, and recent figures released show that the smoking rate across the county has fallen to 14.6%, the lowest figure ever recorded.

Research shows that by the time you have quit for 28 days, you are five times more likely to stop for good.

By signing up to Stoptober, you will receive a wealth of free and proven support available to help you start your quitting journey. From the app, email and social media support including Facebook Messenger, to more information about the expert face to face support that Shropshire’s local stop smoking service, Help2Quit, can offer, as well as the different types of stop smoking aids available to you.

Karen Calder, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for health and well-being, and Chair of Shropshire’s Health and Well-being Board, said:

“I’m delighted to see that our smoking prevalence figures have dropped to an all-time low. Whilst this is always good news, we know that there are still many people out there who want to give up and need the support that campaigns like Stoptober give them to quit smoking for good.”

Shropshire’s Help2Change’s stop smoking service Help2Quit can also offer face-to-face advice and support, and provide you with tailored advice and hints and tips on how to quit. The local stop smoking service offers free support delivered by stop smoking specialists – including practice nurses, midwives, pharmacists and school nurses – that really works. Help2Quit has been helping people to quit for the last 18 years and has seen over 85,000 clients in that time.

The service is available in almost all GP surgeries in Shropshire and is also provided in many pharmacies, community venues, hospitals and selected supermarkets.

Help2Change, Shropshire Council’s preventative health service, will be holding an event at the Mayfair Health and Well-being Centre at Church Stretton on Wednesday 28 September 2016 to promote Stoptober, and a new Help2Quit clinic that will be starting there in October.

For more information and to sign up to Stoptober’s 28-day challenge visit http://po.st/Stop16_Shropshire

For more information about Shropshire’s Help2Quit Service visit http://www.healthyshropshire.co.uk/topics/stop-smoking/quit-smoking/support/