Stoptober is back, and they’re calling on the 4.4 million people in England who still smoke to join millions of others who have quit successfully with the campaign.
Smoking remains the biggest cause of preventable illness and death, and quitting is one of the best things you can do for your health. The good news is that if you stop smoking for 28 days, you’re five times more likely to quit for good.
Quitting smoking doesn’t just improve your own health and wellbeing, when you quit, your family wins too.Whether it’s being there for loved ones, protecting them from second-hand smoke or simply having more money to spend on the things that matter, stopping smoking can have a positive impact on those around you.
It’s never too late to quit, even if you’ve tried before. Every attempt to quit counts, and with the right support, you’re more likely to succeed. If your quit didn’t go to plan, don’t worry – people can make many attempts before quitting for good, and Stoptober is a great time to give it another go.
It’s much easier to stop smoking when you get the right help, here’s where One You Cheshire East’s Be Smoke Free team can help.
During Stoptober, One You Cheshire East are inviting smokers to attend their Breathe Easy – Free Carbon Monoxide (CO) Screening events across Cheshire East throughout October.
Karolina Ayres, Stop Smoking Advisors at One You Cheshire East shares: “People know how many cigarettes they smoke, but don’t always know how much carbon monoxide they take in. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas released when tobacco burns and we take it in each time we have a cigarette. It is a harmful poison that reduces the amount of oxygen our blood can carry around our body.
The effects of smoking often can’t be seen or felt straight away, which can make it difficult to understand the impact smoking is having on your health. A simple carbon monoxide test provides an instant measure of the harm caused by smoking and can help you see what is happening inside your body.”
Whether you’re thinking about quitting, curious about your carbon monoxide levels, or simply want to learn more about the impact smoking may be having on your health, One You Cheshire East would love to meet you at one of their events.
CO readings are something the Be Smoke Free team do at every appointment in their face-to-face clinics, Cathy a Be Smoke Free member had a carbon monoxide reading of over 50 when she first saw her Stop Smoking Advisor, “I was off the scale” she shared, the highest reading the advisor had seen, however she soon went down to 3.
There is no need to book, residents can just turn up and get a free CO reading. The test takes just 30 seconds and is pain free, it provides instant results and there is no obligation to quit smoking.
However, you can speak to the team to find out more about the free stop smoking support available through One You Cheshire East if you would like to quit smoking.
Find out more here: www.oneyoucheshireeast.org/stoptober-2026/
Click here to watch One You Cheshire East’s video from the team to show you what happens during a carbon monoxide test.
One You Cheshire East is commissioned by Cheshire East Council and delivered by Everybody Health and Leisure.