Sign up to Stoptober with friends, family and colleagues

Smokers in Bury are urged to sign up to Stoptober and receive ‘stop smoking’ encouragement from some of the nation’s top comedians.

Bury Council and its free Stop Smoking Service are backing this 28-day national campaign by holding events across the borough, hoping to beat last year’s total of 730 people signing up to quit.

Stoptober says that smokers stand a better chance of quitting if they sign up with friends, family and colleagues. Messages of support will also be sent to their phones throughout the month by comedians Bill Bailey, Rhod Gilbert, Al Murray and Shappi Khorsandi.

This year’s Stoptober co-incides with changes in the law which mean that, from 1 October, it will be illegal to smoke in a vehicle if there is a person aged under 18 in it.

Councillor Andrea Simpson, Bury Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “Stoptober is a great way to go smoke-free for a few weeks with the support of friends, family and the apps and other Stoptober resources that are now available.

“Quitting tobacco for good can be a daunting thought for a smoker, but going without for just 28 days can seem much more achievable. The good news is that smokers who quit for 28 days are five times more likely to quit for good. There’s so much support available now and there are specially trained staff who can keep you motivated and advise on the medication available for you.”

Bury Stop Smoking Service offers free local support on 0161 253 7554or email burystopsmoking@bury.gov.uk. You can book an appointment or pop along to one of the following events as part of this year’s Stoptober campaign.

• Tesco, Prestwich - Tuesday 6 October (10am to 12.30pm)
• Bury Light Night - Friday 16 October (6-9pm)
• Aldi, Whitefield - Wednesday 28 October (11.30am to 1.30pm)

You are four times more likely to quit with the help of a trained Stop Smoking professional and you can contact then for free help and support all year round by calling 0161 253 7554.

To sign up to the nation’s biggest mass quit attempt, search Stoptober online or visit www.smokefree.nhs.uk/stoptober.

Lesley Jones, Bury’s director of public health, said: “Smoking is still our biggest preventable killer: 80,000 people die a year in England because of smoking. There are around 21,000 smokers in Bury, and two-thirds of those want to quit.

“The benefits of stopping smoking are almost immediate: quitters will soon see reduced blood pressure, easier breathing and better circulation. It is one of the best things a person can do to improve their health and reduce their chances of developing long-term conditions and dying prematurely.”

Andrea Crossfield, chief executive of Tobacco Free Futures which works with Bury to tackle the harmful effects of tobacco, said: “I encourage every smoker in Bury to quit this Stoptober and motivate each other throughout their 28-day challenge.

“There has never been a better time to quit, with more free support than ever this year. This includes a stop smoking pack, a 28-day mobile phone app, text support with daily updates, quitting advice and tips for coping, as well as the encouragement and support from thousands of people quitting together through Stoptober social media channels.”

ENDS

Press release issued: 28 September 2015.

Note to editors:

Stoptober:

Research by Public Health England (PHE) shows that smokers are two-thirds (67%) more likely to quit when their spouse stops smoking, and a third more likely to quit when a close friend (36%) or someone they work with (34%) stops.

The data also shows that individuals are much more likely (61%) to smoke if their partner or a close friend smokes – showing the powerful influence that people’s social networks have on their own smoking behaviour.

More than a quarter of a million people across the country signed up to Stoptober last year, and more than half made it to 28 days. By stopping smoking for 28 days you are five times more likely to stop for good.

Smoke-free in cars with under-18s – legislation change:

From 1 October 2015 it will be illegal to smoke in vehicles with someone under 18 present. The law is changing to protect children from the dangers of secondhand smoke and those who break the law could be fined £50. Both the driver and the smoker can be fined if anyone smokes in the car or vehicle.