Stoptober, the traditional month in the UK to support smokers in quitting the traditional cigarette, starts today.

The United Kingdom is one of the most advanced countries in supporting smokers who want to quit, recognizing the effectiveness of harm reduction tools and through targeted campaigns that step by step support those who approach this not easy but fundamental choice.
Since 2012, the month of October has been entirely dedicated to this goal, through the Stoptober initiative, a campaign that invites smokers to suspend the use of cigarettes for 28 days by providing daily support via telephone, email and the creation of a quit plan. of personalized smoke. Stoptober makes use of the collaboration of the media, health professionals and pharmacies to give further resonance to the event.

Among the forms of support for smokers, a Facebook group and a dedicated app could certainly not be missing.
The Facebook group, with thousands of members, allows you to feel part of a community and share personal experiences and small and big successes, but also and above all the difficulties generated by abstinence from smoking.

The app developed by the NHS (National Health Service) allows you to keep track of your progress, follow the accumulated economic savings and obtain support.

The number of smokers in the United Kingdom has been steadily decreasing since 2011: in the last 10 years it has in fact gone from about 20% of the adult population to about 14% of the latest surveys, also thanks to initiatives like this and the support they provide to who wants to get away from the traditional cigarette; indeed several studies report that, from 2012, quit attempts were more prevalent in October than in other months. An evaluation by Public Health of England of the 2018 data showed that 19% of all smokers and recent ex-smokers tried quitting during Stoptober and 8% of them were still not smoking after four weeks.