Stoptober Could Save Thousands Of Smokers £2,000 A Year

It has been estimated that there has been a decrease in smokers in the UK in recent years.

In 2023, around 14 per cent of the population in the UK are smokers. This figure represents those who are 18 and over, excluding youths who may obtain tobacco in other ways.

While smoking rates are currently declining in the UK, more than five million adults in England still smoke and the addiction has been linked to around 64,000 deaths a year.

Stoptober marks a mass quit movement that sets out to motivate people to rid themselves of the habit. The event launches on the 1 October each year and runs until Halloween – October 31.

New data that addresses the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities Stoptober campaign, shows that 95 per cent of the ex-smokers who have taken part in the quitting month, see positive changes to their health as early as two weeks.

NHS Doctor, Dr Dawn Harper, said: "Quitting is one of the best things a smoker can do for their health, and kick starts a range of benefits from easier breathing to reduced coughing to better tasting food."

Quitting smoking "will also put you on the road to long-term health benefits including reduced risk of heart attack and lung cancer", Harper added.

Just one year after quitting, medical experts have found that the risk of a half attack is halved. The risk of being diagnosed with lung cancer also falls to half that of a smoker, once a person has been clean for a decade.

The data also supports the NHS, which noted that smoking cigarettes remains the single biggest cause of preventable illness and death in the UK.

Treating the diseases that have been caused by the tobacco-nicotine addiction, costs the NHS a whopping £1.9 billion each year.

Neil O'Brien, the Health Minister for the UK, declared: "Smoking is the single biggest cause of preventable illness and death. When people quit smoking, the benefits are huge - they are healthier, wealthier and pressure on the NHS eases."

The research also notes that society spends approximately £17 billion annually on obtaining cigarette products.

Following new trends, several people have replaced their tobacco products with vapes and e-cigarette devices instead.

In recent months, the government revealed their bold ambition to be a Smokefree society by 2030. A huge sum of money has since been invested into supporting pregnant women who wish to stop smoking.

Health Minister O'Brien also added that a new set of measures that support the Smokefree ambition have been put in place, including "giving vapes to a million smokers".

The National Institutes of Health found that long-term use of vapes and e-cigarettes can severely impair the function of the body's blood vessels.

However, medical scientists have reported that vaping is considered at least 50 per cent safer than smoking, due to the lack of tar infiltrating the lungs.

While stopping smoking inherently boosts a person's health, the data also acknowledges that smokers can save an average of £38 a week by quitting – nearly £2,000 a year.

Bobbie Norris, who appeared in the reality show The Only Way is Essex, told reporters: "Three years ago, I finally made the decision to give up smoking after almost 20 years."

Norris also revealed: "I was surprised by how quickly I felt the benefits... I feel so much healthier, I never want to go back."

Malin Anderson, a social media campaigner who took part in Love Island series two, encouraged smokers in the UK to ditch their habit.

Anderson urged: "I used to smoke 8 to 10 cigarettes a day for 8 years - so I know how hard it can be to quit, but after seeing these improvements, I had to stick with it. This could be you too!"