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Did you know that children whose parents or carers smoke are four times as likely to take up smoking themselves? Experts warn that teenagers whose parents smoke are likely to copy them.

It's never too late to quit smoking. No matter how long you've smoked for, or how many cigarettes you smoke a day, your health will start to improve as soon as you quit. Some health benefits are immediate, some are longer-term, but what matters is that it's never too late. Stopping smoking is good for your mental health too: it can improve mood and help relieve stress, anxiety and depression.

Will power is the most popular way people choose, but it's the least effective! You are four times more likely to give up for good with support than if you do it alone. Did you know that if you stop smoking for 28 days you're 5 times more likely to quit for good?

The NHS Better Health Quit Smoking site has lots of support to help you during Stoptober, with New Year resolutions and any other time, so you can choose the combination of help that's right for you. It gives access to a range of free quitting support and tools including:

  • free expert help from local Stop Smoking Services
  • NHS Quit Smoking app
  • Facebook messenger bot
  • Stoptober Facebook online communities
  • daily emails and SMS
  • online Personal Quit Plan.

StopForLife Devon is our local service tailored to people in Devon. If you’re looking to stop smoking this service will support you to quit smoking. The service is free for people who live in Devon.

Three reasons to quit:

  1. Feel healthier: no matter how long you've smoked for, quitting can help improve your health straightaway
  2. Cash in: you'll have much more cash in your pocket. A smoker consuming the national average of 11 cigarettes a day could save about £1800!
  3. Protect your family: act as a role model, and quitting helps protect your loved ones from harmful second-hand smoke – reducing their risk of developing asthma, meningitis and some cancers.

Devon's Smokefree Alliance outlines the Devon Specialist Stop Smoking Service and provides information and support for individuals and professionals.

For additional information, the NHS website gives detailed advice on how to stop smoking, ranging from self-help tips, to how to stop smoking without putting on weight.

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), established by the Royal College of Physicians, is a public health charity that works to eliminate the harm caused by tobacco. Their policies are always evidence-based.