Stoptober: Why 28 days could help you quit smoking for good

It’s never too late to stop smoking, and the benefits can begin almost immediately. But quitting isn’t always easy, and having the right support can make a real difference.

For Stoptober, Dr Nick Dunn looks at why stopping for just 28 days can improve your chances of quitting for good, the different support available to help, and the latest evidence around vaping. He also explains why new research has made him reconsider some of his own views on the role regulated nicotine vapes could play in helping people stop smoking

The Stoptober campaign has been run by the UK Department of Health and Social Care since 2012 to encourage smokers to stop for the month of October. Stopping smoking is really difficult, but evidence shows that people who stop for a month are five times more likely to stop smoking altogether. We know that on average people who stop permanently have had seven previous failed attempts.

In August the British Medical Journal published an article from a Cochrane review which supported the use of regulated nicotine vapes as the most effective way to help people stop smoking. The Cochrane library is a collection of databases that contain high quality, independent evidence which is analysed to support healthcare decision making at policy level. Because single studies alone often create more questions than answers, they take multiple study results and apply statistical methods to find out if clearer answers can be found.

From 80 studies involving around 30,000 people, they crunched the numbers which showed that vaping is more effective than other methods to stop smoking. That’s not to say that nicotine replacement, Champix pills or psychological support don’t count as they are also, if a bit less, effective.

All of this – Stoptober campaigns, worldwide research on smoking cessation – highlights how deadly smoking is. Millions of pounds are spent on helping people kick the habit. However, we also know that demonising smokers is not going to motivate them to stop.

As a GP, I will often ask people what they enjoy about smoking. They often seem surprised by this question, as it is very much nowadays regarded as a guilty pleasure. They almost always can tell me what pleasure smoking provides. Some feel it helps them relax, others use smoking to suppress their appetite and keep their weight controlled, and a few will admit it gets them out the office for a few minutes to have a chat at their smokers’ corner! Then I ask if there is anything they don’t like about smoking. Most admit they worry about health risks such as lung problems or cancer, others dislike how much it costs, and there are those who don’t like carrying the smell of tobacco on their clothes or their breath. A small minority will claim there are no downsides, and they are happy to keep smoking, so I don’t attempt to change their views other than suggesting they look at the Quitline website. Beating patients over the head about the issue is not helpful, and is more likely to make them stop listening, or simply dig their heels in. Our job is not to tell people how to live their lives, so much as provide the best available information to help them make informed decisions on their health.

Which brings me back to Stoptober. This campaign provides positive messages and suggests a goal which may seem more manageable. Stop smoking for the month of October. It’s that simple. Don’t try to do more than that. Start again in November if you wish. Simply by stopping for a month, you will increase your long term chances of stopping altogether. The NHS has great online information related to Stoptober which anyone can access. It highlights how people can feel better within days of stopping – their taste and smell improve, breathing gets better and within months mood improves, anxiety is reduced and improved circulation improves strength and fitness, as well as better skin condition. Longer term, cancer risk is lowered and people save around £2,500 a year. For those concerned about their younger families, children of smokers are four times more likely to start smoking as adults, and stopping removes that increased likelihood.

And what about vaping? I admit to having been highly critical of vaping over the years. When first introduced my concern was that it would create a gateway to smoking for children, and that the long-term health risks to the lungs of the chemicals in vapes could be significant. These are both largely still true, but I also believe that we should follow the evidence when providing healthcare. This latest review by the Cochrane library has made me stop and think. It provides convincing evidence that regulated nicotine vapes can have an important place in smoking cessation. Bearing in mind that not all vapes are regulated and they should be used as a bridge to stop altogether.

When I ask patients in Guernsey if they smoke they often apologetically tell me that they vape, suggesting that they consider both equally harmful. This is a common misconception. Ideally use neither but vapes are definitely the lesser of two evils. The risks of vaping pale into insignificance compared against the catastrophic impact on health that smoking continues to have. 

Guernsey Quitline can help you with free, personalised one-to-one support, expert advice on stop smoking medications, and free Nicotine Replacement Therapy or a vape starter kit. You can give them a call on 01481 220021