TUESDAY

Last year saw 30,000 people in the North West sign up for help to break the habit and saw more than 1,000 people sign up to quit smoking in the Bolton and stop for good.

For the past five years Stoptober has launched a 28 day quitting challenge and over the years has helped to lower smoking rates to 18.5 percent in the borough.

Bolton Council and its partners have welcomed the return of the campaign and are encouraging local smokers to join the thousands of people making a change this October for a healthier and wealthier future.

Deputy Leader, Cllr Linda Thomas, said: "Stoptober is a great opportunity for smokers across Bolton to quit together alongside friends, family and thousands of other people in our area.

"There has never been a better time to stop smoking, with lots of help and support available. It doesn’t matter how many times you have tried before, call our specialist stop smoking advisers and take on the challenge this year.

"Quitting is the single best thing you can do for your health and with the help of our local stop smoking advisers, the campaign’s support and motivation I am sure we will have another successful Stoptober."

For wannabe quitters there is plenty of free motivational support at hand in the town, including local services, such as the Bolton Stop Smoking Service is based at The Royal Bolton Hospital, and pharmacies providing expert face-to-face advice, support and guidance.

There a free Stoptober app, a daily email service and Facebook Messenger bot which, when cravings strike, can provide instant support.

The Stoptober movement is led by the Public Health England and started on October 1, with nearly 15 million people across the country preparing to quit smoking.

Twenty-eight days was chosen as the number of days, as it is believed smokers are five times more likely to quit if they can go that long without cigarettes and feel health benefits in 22 minutes.

First the blood pressure and pulse rate stops, then over 28 days carbon dioxide levels in blood are reduced, lungs clear of mucus, breathing improves and you are much more likely to quit for good.

Keep it up and in five years heart attack risk is half compered to a smoker, and by 10 years the risk of lung cancer is half compered to a smoker and heart attack risk half compered to a non-smoker.

While the packet is thrown out, the pocket benefits, campaigners say, with quitters who smoked around 10 a day saving anything from £33 per week to £1,715 per year.

In the North West smoking rate have fallen by 2.5 percent over the past four years with the rate now at 18.6 percent.

Last year, out of the 2.5 million smokers who made a quit attempt, 500,000 people were successful - the highest recorded success rate and up from just 13.6 percent six years ago.

This increase in successful stop smoking attempts reflects the high number of people using quitting aids across England.

In 2015, just over a million people used an e-cigarette in a quit attempt, while around 700,000 used a licensed nicotine replacement product such as patches or gum.

Healthier Futures works with partners to break the cycle of addiction and exposure to tobacco in communities.

Chief Executive Andrea Crossfield added: "I encourage everyone who smokes in the North West to take on the Stoptober challenge this year, for a healthier and wealthier future for you and your family.

"After another successful Stoptober last year, which saw over 30,000 people in the North West sign up, it would be great to see even more people pledge to stop and join together to make a positive change.

If you stop smoking for 28 days then you are five times more likely to stop for good, improving your health and putting more money into your pocket.

"Remember you’re not alone, there are local stop smoking advisers here to support you to quit smoking throughout the year. If you stop with a local adviser you are even more likely to quit for good, so get in contact today for free help and advice."

People who are looking to quit can contact the Bolton Stop Smoking Service on 01204 462345, or text 07900 918264, or visit www.boltonft.nhs.uk/services/smoking-cessation, or find local services at www.nhs.uk/smokefree.