Time to break up from your relationship with smoking

The Stoptober campaign is back to help even more residents split up from their relationship with smoking.

The month-long quit campaign throughout October encourages people to ditch their smoking habit with support from online tools and face-to-face advice.

Residents can visit the council’s health website to find out more www.JustBeCroydon.org/Stoptober

People who quit smoking feel the health benefits very soon after stopping, such as coughing and wheezing less and breathing more easily as lung capacity increases up to 10% after three to nine months of quitting.

Croydon Live Well advisors are also on hand throughout the year to help residents to quit. One in eight people in the borough still smoke, but people who get expert support from local stop smoking services are three times as likely to quit successfully as those who try to stop using willpower alone.

Giving up smoking is also good for your cash flow, and a 20-a-day smoker can save up to £75.39 a week, £323.10 a month and £3,931 a year by stopping smoking.

Croydon resident Kenneth was helped to stop smoking by Live Well advisor Mike. Kenneth had smoked for more than 30 years and following his GP’s advice decided he wanted to improve his health and wellbeing, and also save money. Kenneth and his advisor drew up a quit plan with ongoing support and access to nicotine replacement products. He also kept busy with DIY projects to manage his cigarette cravings and avoided social situations that could tempt him to smoke.

Kenneth’s health began to improve after the first two weeks with the Live Well advisor and he is now a proud non-smoker, and also more active and eating healthier food.

“We are encouraging smokers in the borough to take part in the Stoptober movement to greatly improve their chance of quitting for good. Stopping smoking is the best thing you can do for your health and the health of those around you.

“Any smoker can take part in Stoptober, and it is brilliant that smoking rates continue to decline across the country, but less well-off areas still have disproportionately high numbers of smokers. This is a concern that is being addressed by the council’s targeted online and face-to-face stop smoking support for residents.”

Councillor Jane Avis, cabinet member for families, health and social care

2019-10-04T14:20:26+01:00 October 4th, 2019|Recent news|