Take up the Stoptober Challenge

On Wednesday 1st October, take up the challenge to give up smoking for 28 days with the Department of Health's Stoptober Challenge. Over 150,000 people are expected to kick their smoking habit during the month of October this year.

Research shows that stopping smoking for just 28 days can extend your life by up to one week if you remain smoke-free. And those who stop smoking for 28 days are five times more likely to stay smoke-free for good.

The only way to find out if the Stoptober Challenge works for you is to give it a go. Click here to register and get started.

Quitting smoking is the best thing you can do for your health, your family and your finances. But while most smokers know the risks, they still struggle to give up in the long-term. Nicotine cravings are one of the biggest obstacles to quitting for good.

You can seek the help of your local pharmacist for one-to-one support and advice on smoking cessation medicines to combat cravings.  All licensed smoking cessation products can help you stop smoking. In fact, using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can double your chances of quitting, but it's important that you choose the right products for you (gum, patches, lozenges, inhalators, nasal or mouth sprays or oral strips and micro tabs). Some types of NRT are designed to help you cut down on smoking, rather than stop all in one go. You will need to speak to the pharmacist about the right strength for you and, if you are a heavy smoker, about combination therapy (where you use two types of NRT together e.g. patches and gum).