Switch to Vaping This Stoptober

So, you’re looking to join the thousands of smokers across the UK in the quit-athon that is Stoptober?

Well done!

From how to participate to the benefits quitting can have on your body, we have put together this one-stop resource that covers absolutely everything you would possibly need to know about the month-long campaign.

What is Stoptober?

Stoptober is a nationwide campaign launched by Public Health England in 2012. It encourages smokers of all ages to go without cigarettes for 28 days throughout October, and aims to help people quit altogether! 

In the UK, approximately 1 in 5 adults are smokers, but with the rising costs and health concerns, many of these people are looking to ditch the habit. Since 2012, thousands of people have banded together every year with the aim of saying goodbye to their addiction and hello to better health and an extra bit of cash in their pockets.

Stoptober comes as part of a larger shift towards being an anti-smoking Britain. Recent legislation has banned the use of attractive branding and packaging, set the minimum pack size to 20 cigarettes and caused a rise in tobacco costs in the UK. This combined with public reports on the damaging effects of smoking has caused many people to reconsider their addiction.

Why is Stoptober so important?

Taking part in Stoptober is far more than completing a 28 day challenge - it’s the beginning of your journey to finding a healthier, happier you.

Quitting smoking carries with it a whole host of health benefits which take effect just hours after your last cigarette. During the next few weeks, months and years without smoking, your health continues to improve dramatically and before you know it, you’ve added years on to your life.

So, what health benefits does quitting smoking have?

Benefits on your body

• Breathing and general fitness will be improved alongside having more energy due to the increased oxygen in your body.
• Improved taste and smell senses as smoking damages nerve endings in the nose and mouth, which begin to grow back just 48 hours after quitting smoking. 
• Appearance of skin and teeth will be improved, and within a week you’ll start to feel the difference in your mouth.
• Improved sex life as smoking can reduce genital lubrication and orgasm frequency in women, also increasing the risk of erectile dysfunction in men. 
• Improvement in fertility levels and increased chances of having a healthy pregnancy and baby. 
• Lower risk of cancer after a few years of being smoke-free. This includes lung cancer, esophageal cancer, kidney cancer, bladder cancer and pancreatic cancer.

Benefits on your mind

The majority of us are aware of the numerous physical health benefits that quitting smoking has, but what about the effects on your mental health?

Many people believe that smoking helps to calm them down, and relieves the feelings of stress and anxiety. However, the NHS states that smoking actually increases anxiety and tension, and it is in fact the craving for a cigarette which causes these feelings, so it’s only once they’ve had a cigarette that they associate it with the feeling of relief.

According the NHS, smokers are more likely than non-smokers to develop depression over time, and reports state that stopping smoking can actually be as effective as antidepressants. This is because quitting smoking has been proven to improve mood and help relieve stress, anxiety and depression.

Quitting smoking has also been known to boost confidence in social situations, as it eliminates the paranoia of smelling like stale smoke.

With all of that being said, it’s worth noting that if you’re a smoker who suffers with anxiety or depression and uses cigarettes as a coping mechanism - smoking could have been the very cause of these issues in the first place.

What happens when you quit smoking: A timeline

This NHS timeline details how quickly you will notice the benefits of stopping smoking, and the improvement on your quality of life over time.

Why is Stoptober successful?

Public Health England evaluated the effectiveness of the 2017 Stoptober campaign, and the report on the findings makes for interesting reading. It stated that:

• Public awareness of the Stoptober brand was measured at 76%
• The number of people attempting to quit met their target of 16% of smokers
• The number of people who carried on after Stoptober increased from 6% to 8%

All of this would suggest that Stoptober has a positive influence on the smoking population of the United Kingdom and more importantly, that it does generate results in terms of helping people to quit. There are a few possible reasons for this success.

Doing it together

It can be a powerful thing, being part of up to 1,000,000 people attempting to quit smoking at the same time. The concept of “strength in numbers” comes shining through during the month of October as peers encourage each other to make a beneficial change to their lifestyle. 

Achievable one-month target

Quitting smoking is hard work. When attempting it for the first time, many people struggle to go 24 hours without a cigarette. It could be argued that Stoptober is aimed at a slightly older audience, one that includes people who have attempted to quit in the past but to no avail.

The one-month milestone, combined with a strong campaign and encouragement from others, is a manageable first step towards ditching cigarettes. Having a clear target at the end of the challenge is crucial, it gives participants an end goal in sight.

It saves you money

Quitting smoking will save you money. How much you save will obviously depend on how often you smoke, but removing that expenditure from your lifestyle will free up some disposable income and this is another huge plus point for Stoptober.

Participants will be able to use the saved money as a source of inspiration throughout the month, and this can form a big part of a personal quit plan.

Celebrity influence and advocacy

Speaking of inspiration, seeing recognisable names and faces getting involved in Stoptober can also give people that extra push. Celebrities such as Ian Wright and Gary Cockerill have pledged their support for the campaign over the years.

Better quitting options

It doesn’t have to be all willpower and sheer determination. In 2019 there are a number of smoking substitutes that can help Stoptober participants make the transition away from cigarettes.

We wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t mention how vape products can help you quit smoking for good. Further on in this article we’ll let you know what to go for if you’re just getting started.

Anti-smoking culture 

Cultural norms in the United Kingdom have shifted and smoking is now perceived differently. This has come around after years of stringent anti-smoking policies being put in place.

As you are now far more restricted in terms of where you can smoke in public, this can have a positive impact on Stoptober participants as the act of smoking can be socially problematic.

How to build a personalised Stoptober quit plan

If you’re aiming to tackle Stoptober this month then you’re going to need a plan of action.

It doesn’t have to be as regimented as “on day one, I’m going to do this” but we hope that by supplying you with some tips and ideas you may find the task of quitting smoking a little easier to manage.

Track your savings

We touched on this earlier and it’s so important for your Stoptober mindset - track how much money you would have spent throughout the month by adding your rough daily spend into a savings jar.

Being able to physically see the amount of money you have saved will give you that little extra encouragement, knowing you’re healing the bank balance as well as the mind and body.

Combine Stoptober with exercise

Studies show that physical exercise reduces the urge to smoke, so you can work on managing the negative mental impacts of your cravings by exercising more often.

Activities such as running and swimming release natural endorphins and hormones and these will help to make you feel more positive, cope with stress and generally have more energy on a day to day basis.

Try to set aside a regular time for exercise, one that fits with your schedule and you can stick to. If you are committing to Stoptober with a friend or relative then why not exercise together?

Be sure to change your exercise routine from time to time so you don’t get stuck in a cycle.

Products to help you quit

Going cold turkey may not work for everyone and this is why there are proven nicotine aids out there that can help increase your chances of success. The three main widely available products are:

• Prescribed medication (Champix and Zyban)
• Nicotine patches, inhalers and gum
• E-cigarettes/Vaping products

All of these products have one thing in common - they provide your body with the nicotine hit that it’s craving, but without the damaging effects of tobacco and other harmful substances contained in cigarettes.

Therefore, it’s all just about choosing the best stop smoking aids for you, the ones which are most effective and enjoyable.

We often recommend the Classic Pen & E-Liquid Starter Pack as a convenient entry product into the world of vaping.

The vape pen is simplistic and minimal in design, which is perfect for first time vapers who may be overfaced by complicated devices. The pen is bundled with a variety of seven e-juice flavours to help you find your perfect concoction.

If you are looking for something more discreet then the Zillion Pod System could be for you. Its sleek and stealthy design ensures you go unnoticed with a pocket-sized nicotine hit.

To get up to speed with what e liquid is, and what the recommended strengths are for different types of smokers, then you should definitely check out this definitive E Liquid Guide.

Use Stoptober resources

Below are a list of Stoptober related websites and apps that you can use as part of your quit month:

• NHS One You
• NHS One You Apps
• British Lung Foundation

How to carry on after Stoptober

As se mentioned earlier, taking part in Stoptober is just the first hurdle. While overcoming the challenge of abstaining from smoking for 28 days is a major achievement, it’s all for nothing if you switch straight back to your usual habits once that period is up.

After Stoptober, it’s natural that you may still be struggling with cravings for a cigarette. However, it’s important to know that there are ways to manage this, and giving in is never the answer.

Why do cravings occur?

As a smoker, your body becomes addicted to the nicotine in cigarettes, which the brain associates with sensations of pleasure. By quitting smoking and cutting off the supply of nicotine, the brain receptors send signals that they want more, after noticing the lack of nicotine in the body.

Managing cravings long-term

It’s common to think that cravings are consuming you all day every day, but in actual fact cravings only tend to last between three to five minutes. They will come on strong at first - quite suddenly - but will gradually decrease in intensity as time goes on. 

This opens up a short window of opportunity to occupy yourself with something else within that short time frame. Once a craving hits, distract yourself by getting stuck into something else - have a snack, go for a walk or even call a friend. You can bet that by the time you’ve finished what you were doing, you’ll have forgotten about that craving. Once you get into the routine of doing something that takes your mind off it, it will get easier as every day goes by.

If the distraction tactics aren’t quite cutting it, remember there are always aids to help you along the way such as vaping and nicotine patches, which we touched on earlier.

You’re not alone

Remember, there are many other people in the same boat. Stopping smoking isn’t easy, and nobody expects you to do it on willpower alone. 

This is why joining community support groups or reaching out for expert face-to-face support at your Local Stop Smoking Service could be just what you need to keep you on the right track. These services are completely free, and are organised by trained experts and ex-smokers to provide advice and support along the way. Click here to find out more about NHS Stop Smoking Services.

Stoptober in numbers

The European Respiratory Review concluded that if you can abstain from smoking for 28 days, you are 5 times more likely to kick the habit for good. 28 days can seem like a daunting principle when you first consider breaking up with cigarettes, but with Stoptober you’re not alone. Knowing you’re part of a nationwide community could be just the boost you need.

There’s no denying that quitting is hard, but the number of people giving up the habit is rising. The latest report on Stoptober comes from the 2017 campaign, which was a marked improvement over the previous year. In 2017, the Government aimed for 16% of smokers to attempt to quit as a result of Stoptober, and 75% of smokers being aware of the campaign. The final figures show that they did indeed hit their targets, with 76% awareness, 16% attempts to quit, and 8% of participants reporting they still weren’t smoking after the 28 days (beating the 2016 figure of 6% sustained attempts).

These figures may not sound impressive, but they are part of the final push to better health. In 1974, 45% of people were regular smokers, but in the years since this number has dropped off considerably to 15% in 2017. Unfortunately, those that do still smoke are predominantly between the ages of 25-49, accounting for 43% of all smokers in the UK. Life-long smokers are at a far higher risk of premature death, with approximately half losing 10 years or more of their lives.