What is Stoptober?
Stoptober is a 28 day stop smoking campaign that takes place every October led by Public Health England. The national stop smoking challenge is designed to encourage smokers to quit for good. Evidence shows that if you stop smoking for the 28 days of October, you’re more than five times more likely to stop smoking for good.
The Stoptober campaign aims to help smokers by raising awareness, offer guidance and support, provide tools, encourage and give confidence to smokers to quit. Over the past 12 years, since the Stoptober campaign began it has helped over 2.5 million people in the UK quit smoking, dramatically helping with the decline of smoking rates.
There are approximately 6 million adults in England who still smoke. According to Action on Smoking and Health, the annual cost of smoking to productivity are £13.2 billion. Treating illnesses associated with smoking also cost the NHS £2.4 billion each year, with the wider cost to society in England being approximately £17 billion each year.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/stoptober-launches-to-give-smokers-the-confidence-to-quit
Vapes are one of the most effective quit smoking tools recommended by the NHS, so if you’re looking to take the 28 day smoke-free challenge, why not try an electronic cigarette? Many of the same rituals are shared between smoking cigarettes and vapes including the hand-to-mouth action, throat hit sensation, taking a 5 minute break outside, tobacco flavoured e-liquid for a similar taste, and quick nicotine delivery.
E-Cigarettes have become a popular smoking cessation aid, and when making the switch to vapes you’re twice as likely to quit smoking compared to using other nicotine replacement products like nicotine patches or nicotine gum.
https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/vaping-to-quit-smoking/
What Happens When You Quit Smoking?
After 20 minutes: Your pulse rate will start to return to normal
After 8 hours: Your oxygen levels will start to recover. Carbon monoxide levels in your blood will have reduced by half
After 48 hours: Carbon monoxide will be flushed out of your body. Your lungs will start to clear out mucus, improving your sense of taste and smell
After 72 hours: Your breathing will feel easier as your bronchial tubes relax. Your energy levels will also increase
After 2 – 12 weeks: Blood flow through your heart and muscles will be improved
After 3 – 9 months: Your lung function will increase by up to 10%, improving any breathing problems, coughs or wheezing
After 1 year: Your risk of a heart attack will be cut in half compared with a smoker’s
After 10 years: Your risk of death from lung cancer will have halved compared with a smoker’s
https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/
What are the Most Effective Tools to Quit Smoking?
Nicotine Replacement Therapies (NRTs)
Vape Kits and Nicotine E-Liquids
Vaping nicotine containing e-liquids from a vape kit is far less harmful than smoking cigarettes, and is one of the most effective quit smoking tools.
Public Health England estimates that vapes are 95% less harmful to your health than tobacco cigarettes. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/e-cigarettes-around-95-less-harmful-than-tobacco-estimates-landmark-review
Vape kits are filled with e-liquid which contains nicotine. A heating element (vape coil) will heat up the vape liquid turning it into a vapour that can be inhaled to deliver nicotine in a similar way to smoking.
E-Liquids are available in various nicotine strengths to help control your nicotine level needed for successful quit smoking results.
Nicotine itself is not very harmful. Prior to the introduction of vapes to the mass market in the UK, combustible tobacco was one of the only ways to deliver nicotine that can be inhaled. Traditional cigarettes unlike vapes, release thousands of chemicals when they burn, many of which are poisonous and 70 cause cancer. Other smoking related illnesses include; lung disease, heart disease, strokes and death.
Most of the extremely harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke, including tar and carbon monoxide are not contained in e-liquid vapour. Nicotine vapes are not risk-free, but carry a small fraction of the risks of cigarettes.
Switching from smoking to vaping not only will have a massive impact on your health, it costs about a third as much as smoking providing a more cost-effective nicotine delivery method.
When you’re ready to eventually quit vaping you can gradually reduce the strength of nicotine in your e-liquids on your journey to smoking cessation.
Nicotine Patches, Sprays, Gum, Lozenges
NRTs like nicotine patches, nicotine gum and nicotine nasal sprays deliver nicotine without any of the harmful chemicals produced with the burning of tobacco. While these aids don’t provide a similar sensation to smoking, they can help with nicotine cravings and nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
Prescription Medicines
Bupropion (Zyban), Varenicline (Champix) and Cytisine are prescription-only stop smoking medicines supplied in a tablet form. These medications do not contain nicotine, but can help with nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
Quitting Smoking Cold Turkey
Quitting smoking with will power alone can be achieved, but quitting smoking with the help of smoking cessation aids may help you quit permanently.
https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/
What Are the Best Vape Kits for Quitting Smoking?
Entry-level vape starter kits are the best option if you are looking to quit smoking. Low-powered beginner-friendly starter kits combined with nicotine e-liquid will provide an inhale that replicates the draw from a cigarette, quickly alleviating your nicotine cravings.
At VapeLiquids we understand it can be difficult when you are presented with so many options when it comes to what vape kit to choose, what e-liquid flavour is best and which nicotine strength is right for me. We have created some vape guides to help you on your journey.
For more information read our vape guide: Guide to Choosing Your First Vape Kit
For more information read our vape guide: E-Liquid Guide
What The Experts Say About Vaping:
Professor Kevin Fenton, Director of Health and Wellbeing at Public Health England said:
“E-cigarettes are not completely risk free but when compared to smoking, evidence shows they carry just a fraction of the harm. The problem is people increasingly think they are at least as harmful and this may be keeping millions of smokers from quitting.
Local stop smoking services should look to support e-cigarette users in their journey to quitting completely.”
Professor Ann McNeill, King’s College London and independent author of the review, said:
“There is no evidence that e-cigarettes are undermining England’s falling smoking rates. Instead the evidence consistently finds that e-cigarettes are another tool for stopping smoking and in my view smokers should try vaping and vapers should stop smoking entirely.”
“E-cigarettes could be a game changer in public health in particular by reducing the enormous health inequalities caused by smoking.”
Professor Peter Hajek, Queen Mary University London and independent author of the review said:
“My reading of the evidence is that smokers who switch to vaping remove almost all the risks smoking poses to their health. Smokers differ in their needs and I would advise them not to give up on e-cigarettes if they do not like the first one they try. It may take some experimentation with different products and e-liquids to find the right one.”
If you’re interested in making the switch to vapes this Stoptober, you have come to the right place. Our expert team are always happy to help answer all your vaping related questions and steer you in the right direction when picking the right vape device for you and your personal needs.
