Fresh and partners support Stoptober
Stoptober is back, calling on smokers in the North East and across England to join the 2.5 million others who have made a quit attempt during the national campaign.
Fresh and councils across the North East are supporting Stoptober and encouraging people across the North East to join the tens of thousands of people quitting this October.
Ahead of the campaign launch, Fresh took the Stoptober banner out across the region to town centres and well-known North East landmarks.
More than five million adults in England still smoke and smoking causes 64,000 deaths every year, making it the biggest cause of preventable illness and death. Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health.
To help people stop smoking the annual campaign challenges smokers to go smokefree for 28 days. Research suggests that smokers who complete the challenge are five times more likely to quit for good [1].
In the North East, Fresh’s Smoking Survivors campaign is running from September 16 and throughout Stoptober as a powerful call to people in the North East who smoke to put smoking behind them and make a fresh quit for their health and their family. In their own words and striking medical footage, former smokers and their families speak of the devastating impact on their health, finances and their families.
Many people try to quit smoking with willpower alone, but it’s much easier to go smokefree with the right help such as quitting aids, local stop smoking services or switching entirely to vaping. People can visit FreshQuit.co.uk for a full list of North East stop smoking services and advice on quitting.
Ailsa Rutter OBE, Director of Fresh and Balance, said: “Most people who smoke regret ever starting – it damages health and costs tens of thousands of pounds to smoke over a lifetime. Smoking has killed over 125,000 people in our region since the year 2000 alone.
“The good news is that thousands of people every year successfully manage to quit smoking and have a better life by putting smoking behind them. Just breaking down your quit attempt into 28 days might feel less daunting. And once you’ve done that, you can tell yourself you are well on the road to staying quit.
“Don’t ever give up on quitting even if you don’t succeed first or second time. Keep trying – next time it can be different.”
TIPS
It can take a number of attempts to successfully stop for good – but there are lots of ways to stop which can take a lot of the stress out of quitting.
Your chances improve if you use a quitting aid or switch completely to vaping to reduce cravings. Stop Smoking Services can also help you develop a plan to help you stop for good.
Here’s how your body recovers when you quit
After 20 minutes
Your pulse rate starts to return to normal.
After 8 hours
Your oxygen levels are recovering, and the level of harmful carbon monoxide in your blood will have reduced by half.
After 48 hours
All carbon monoxide is flushed out. Your lungs are clearing out mucus and your senses of taste and smell are improving.
After 72 hours
If you notice that breathing feels easier, it’s because your bronchial tubes have started to relax. Also your energy will be increasing.
After 2-12 weeks
Blood will pump through to your heart and muscles much better because your circulation will improve.
After 6 weeks
Smokers who stop have better mental health than those who continue to smoke. One study found that benefits could be seen as soon as six weeks and were maintained even several years after stopping.
After 3-9 months
Any coughs, wheezing or breathing problems will improve as your lung function increases.
After 1 year
Great news! Your risk of heart attack will have halved compared with a smoker’s.
After 10 years
Your risk of death from lung cancer will have halved compared with a smoker’s.