2021 marks 10-year Stoptober anniversary

Stoptober is an annual Public Health England (PHE) initiative encouraging smokers to quit for 28 days in the month of October. It has been shown that, if you can quit for 28 days, you are five times more likely to quit smoking for good. 

Smoking remains the leading preventable cause of premature death in England, with younger people more likely to smoke than older people, and smoking rates increasing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Quitting smoking not only reduces your risk of lung cancer and heart disease, it brings other benefits to your physical and mental health and wellbeing.

You are three times more likely to quit smoking with expert help. The OUH Here for Health team can help patients and visitors who are looking to quit with support and guidance. We can help you, step by step, to break your smoking habit, using behaviour change skills and techniques to build healthier habits, without relying on willpower alone.

We also have Smoking Cessation Advisors across wards and departments within our Trust.

Stop for Life Oxon can also help anybody in Oxfordshire who wants to quit smoking and build a healthier lifestyle. This free support service, commissioned by Oxfordshire County Council, offers three levels of support. Visit their website to self-refer or talk to a member of the Stop for Life team.

You can also use the NHS Quit Smoking app to help you quit this Stoptober. You can track your progress, see how much you're saving and get daily support via the app. 

And if you have questions about electronic cigarettes, there's a statement from the South East Tobacco Control Network which outlines the latest evidence on the risks and benefits they pose to smokers trying to quit.