Top British comedians including Paddy McGuinness, Al Murray, Simon Brodkin and Andi Osho are supporting Stoptober and will bring a touch of the British sense of humour as they try to help quitters through this difficult and daunting challenge.
Smoking is still the biggest cause of preventable illness and premature deaths in the country - accounting for over 80,000 deaths in England a year. One in every 2 long term smokers will die prematurely from a smoking related disease unless they quit.
Ros Jervis, Wolverhampton City Council's Director of Public Health, said: "It is estimated that around 22.9% of people in Wolverhampton - approximately 43,000 individuals - smoke, compared to a West Midlands average of 18.9%. Though this rate is falling, far too many local people are still putting their health at risk by smoking.
"Stoptober is a great opportunity to make a serious quit attempt with the support of friends.
"Last year, some 1,137 people in Wolverhampton signed up to Stoptober, and many of them went on to successfully quit. We want that number be even higher this year, so I'd encourage anyone who wants to give up smoking to sign up today and give it a go."
Help will be on hand for would be quitters thanks to health trainers from Wolverhampton's Healthy Lifestyles Service, who will be at the Civic Centre every Thursday throughout September from 2pm to 4pm to talk to people about Stoptober and sign people up for the challenge. They will then host drop in stop smoking clinics at the Civic on Thursdays throughout Stoptober - again from 2pm to 4pm.
The Healthy Lifestyles service will also be holding promotional events across Wolverhampton throughout September, including in shopping centres and supermarkets, hospitals, clinics and community centres. For details, please call 0800 073 4242 or 01902 444246.
Public Health England Consultant Dr Lola Abudu said: "People who stop smoking for 28 days and longer will begin to experience physical and health benefits including better sense of taste and smell and a reduced risk of lung cancer and heart disease. They will also benefit financially."
The 2013 Stoptober campaign saw 250,000 people across the country take part, with 65% of those successfully quitting for 28 days. Evidence shows that if a smoker can go 28 days without a cigarette, they are five times more likely to stay permanently smoke free.
Quitting smoking can be a difficult process but successfully quitting has significant health, monetary and social benefits.
Stoptober 2014 launched on Monday and will feature a three-week "recruitment campaign" to get as many smokers as possible ready to quit on 1 October. The 28-day campaign will include daily messages of motivation, persuasion and distraction, as well as jokes, tips and content for digital users.
Professor Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer, said: "We know the idea of giving up smoking can be daunting, but Stoptober has proved itself to be a fantastic platform for people to quit and offers all the support that smokers may need to take the first step to stopping for good.
"With support from this year's line up of comedians we are asking anyone who wants to quit to join the thousands of others and take up the challenge and give Stoptober a go - stop smoking and start smiling."
Stoptober provides smokers with a range of free tools including a new stop smoking pack, a 28-day mobile phone app, text support with daily updates, quitting advice and tips for coping, as well as the encouragement and support from thousands of people quitting together through Stoptober's social media channels, Type=links;Linkid=4156;Title=Twitter;Target=_blank; and Type=links;Linkid=4157;Title=Facebook;Target=_blank;.
The 28-day challenge starts on Tuesday 1 October, 2014. For more information and to join the biggest stop smoking challenge of its kind, please visit Type=links;Linkid=4158;Title=Stoptober;Target=_blank;.
- released: Friday 12 September, 2014