Stoptober

Continuing with the trend,  this month, entitled "Stoptober" is a stop-smoking monthly campaign launched in England by the government.

The aim of the campaign is to encourage smokers to stop smoking for 28 days starting on the 1st October, as research has shown that those who can stop smoking for 28 days are five times more likely to stay smoke free!

This is the first time the government has launched a "mass quit attempt" and it will be supported by the media through the use of TV/radio advertising, a daily support messaging service and roadshows around the country. The NHS smoke free website can be found here. It is hoped that the extra support and group effort will help more individuals quit than if they were to try alone. An example of this group effort is the movement of a "Stoptober wheel" up and down the country which people can sign as a pledge to quit.

A representative for Cancer Research UK which is backing the campaign along with the British Heart Foundation said "smoking accounts for one in four cancer deaths and nearly a fifth of all cancer cases". Another telling statistic is that one in two long term smokers will die from a smoking related disease.

As well as the motivation and group support smokers who join the campaign are given free support to help them quit, another incentive to try and quit!

I think the campaign can only be seen as a good thing and the more people it helps the better! In terms of health care the statistics show that smoking causes or contributes to a large number of diseases, many of which cost the NHS time and money. In a sense the campaign is preventative treatment, prevent people acquiring these diseases by helping them to stop smoking. Consequently this will save the NHS time and money in the future.