It’s never too late to stop smoking and with Stoptober celebrating its 10^th year, now is as good a time as ever!

An estimated two million smokers have used Stoptober to attempt to quit smoking. There is lots of support available to help you and the benefits to your health start sooner than you think.

What happens when you quit?

The sooner you quit, the sooner you'll notice changes to your body and health. This short video shows what happens when you quit:

Stop smoking in pregnancy

If you are expecting a baby, protecting them from tobacco smoke is one of the best things you can do to give your child a healthy start in life. Stopping smoking will help both you and your baby immediately and reduces the risks from complications in pregnancy and birth. Here’s more information from the NHS on the benefits and ways of stopping smoking in pregnancy.

Smokefree Sefton

By accessing your local Stop Smoking Service you are three times more likely to quit. Smokefree Sefton offer FREE support to stop smoking. Smokefree Sefton provide access to proven treatments and are currently offering a mix of telephone and face to face support at a venue close to you, with both daytime and evening appointments.

Smokefree Sefton can also offer workplace support for a group of colleagues who may want to stop together within the convenience of your workplace. For more information call 0300 100 1000 or visit www.smokefreesefton.co.uk.

NHS Quit Smoking app

You can also use the NHS Quit Smoking app to help you quit smoking and start breathing easier. The app allows you to:

• track your progress
• see how much you're saving
• get daily support

If you can make it to 28 days smoke-free, you're 5 times more likely to quit for good!

You can download the app from:

• Apple App Store
• Google Play Store

Quitting tips

You’ve made a great decision to give up smoking. Here are ten tips to help you succeed:

1. Once you have picked your quit date, add it to your calendar and throw away all your cigarettes. Remember, there is never "just 1 cigarette".
2. List your reasons to quit.
3. Tell people you're quitting.
4. If you have tried to quit before, remember what worked.
5. Use stop smoking aids.
6. Have a plan if you are tempted to smoke.
7. List your smoking triggers and how to avoid them.
8. Keep cravings at bay by keeping busy.
9. Exercise away the urge.
10. Join the Facebook group for support and advice.

Good luck. You can do it!

For more information go to www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking.