Stoptober is back and we’re calling on Herefordshire’s smokers to join others who have quit successfully with the campaign.
Around 16,000 or 10% of adults in Herefordshire are smokers and smoking remains the UK’s biggest cause of preventable illness and death.
In Herefordshire, cancer and circulatory diseases are the top two causes of death, followed by respiratory diseases. There are strong links between smoking and all three of these top causes of illness/early death. The good news is that quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health.
Evidence shows that if you can quit smoking for 28 days, you’re five times more likely to quit for good. However, we understand that quitting can be extremely difficult. The greatest success is achieved when people access stop smoking support.
You could be like Charlie who benefited from support from our Stop Smoking Service. He says: “I knew what I needed to do but seeing you has given me that push I needed. I’ve found the support invaluable.”
Or Lauren, who says: “This is the longest time I’ve gone without smoking … and I couldn’t have done it without your support. I have managed to save £750 so far, which is going towards a holiday for my family.”
So, please do join us this Stoptober and take advantage of the free help available to you.
Free expert stop-smoking advice and support is on offer to all Herefordshire residents and anyone registered with one of the county’s 19 GP practices. Email our team at hlts@herefordshire.gov.uk or call them on 01432 383567 to access:
- Twelve weeks of personal stop-smoking support, tailored to meet your individual needs
- Face-to-face behavioural support with our friendly advisors (telephone support is available, if preferred)
- A range of nicotine replacement therapy options or a free reusable vape kit to help you quit smoking via the ‘Swap to Stop’ scheme.
Zoe Clifford, Director of Public Health at Herefordshire Council, says:
Going ‘cold turkey’ is still the most common way that people attempt to give up smoking, but we know that quitting attempts are more successful if people access stop smoking services. There is no need to go it alone and I would encourage anyone who wants to quit to get in touch with our stop smoking team.
Councillor Carole Gandy, Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing at Herefordshire Council, says:
Quitting smoking really is the best thing you can do for your health, and you will feel the benefits almost immediately. For example, within days your lungs will begin to clear and your senses of taste and smell will improve. You will also save literally hundreds, if not thousands of pounds each year. Herefordshire Council’s Stop Smoking Service has achieved excellent results in supporting smokers to quit – not only in Stoptober but throughout the year.
Supporting smokers to quit the habit is one of the key strands of Herefordshire Council’s five-year plan for tobacco control and smoking cessation. The plan was published in April 2025 by Herefordshire’s Tobacco Control Alliance and can be viewed here.