Nearly 12,100 North East smokers quit for Stoptober
Nearly 12,100 people across the North East joined a quarter of a million people across the nation turning their back on cigarettes this month in the mass 28-day stop smoking challenge, Stoptober.
Research shows that stopping smoking for 28 days can extend your life by up to one week if you remain smokefree . The new ex-smokers across the North East are therefore celebrating their first steps towards a healthier, smokefree life, and if they succeed in quitting for good, they could collectively add as much as 233 years of life to the population .
However, by taking part in Stoptober, it is not just the health benefits that have been reaped:
• The average smoker has 13 cigarettes a day , which equates to 364 cigarettes every four weeks. Stoptober would have saved them £141 each over four weeks , and if they remain smokefree, they could save £423 by Christmas and £1,696 in a year. Collectively, if all Stoptober participants in the North East quit for the 28 days this month they would have saved over £169,400.
• With the average cigarette taking approximately 4 minutes to smoke , this Stoptober could have saved the average smoker over 24 hours by not smoking; and cumulatively the nation’s Stoptober participants would have gained over 680 years in spare time
Backed by a huge number of supporters – including celebrities, charities, sports clubs and stop smoking services – Stoptober has helped thousands of people try and stay free from cigarettes through support packs, a 28 day app, social media activities and tips and advice from a host of celebrity well-wishers.
Ailsa Rutter, director of Fresh Smoke free, said: “It is fantastic to see so many people across the North East have used Stoptober as a chance to quit and break free of the daily problems smoking brings, such as the cost and impact on health. More people have signed up for Stoptober than last year.
“It has been an incredible month here in the North East, with events happening all over, Stoptober taking over town centres, football stars backing the campaign and Tony the Fridge getting involved. Countless people have shared their own quitting stories and reasons why they quit.
“Staying quit for 28 days is a massive achievement but we’re just encouraging people now to keep going, not just for the money you will save but to also be around longer with their loved ones.”
Stoptober started on 1 October 2013 and runs for 28 days. Research shows that those who stop smoking for 28 days are five times more likely to stay smokefree. Last year saw over 160,000 people successfully complete the four-week challenge.
It is not too late to start your own 28-day challenge – for more information and to download the Stoptober app visit www.stoptober.smokefree.nhs.uk.
[1] Based on a Stoptober survey of 500 smokers in October 2012