Smokers in Newcastle can move a step closer to quitting this Stoptober, with now more ways to give up than ever before.
Research suggests almost half of smokers in the North East have recently tried to quit – but they don’t have to do it alone, with a range of free support available.
Cllr Wendy Taylor, Newcastle City Council’s Cabinet member for integrated health and adult social care said: “If you smoke then quitting is the biggest thing you can do to improve your health.
“There’s now more ways than ever before to quit smoking – you just might have to try a few things and find what works for you. The key thing is to never stop trying.
“Make use of the free, professional support that’s available either in person or through a support app.
“And the sooner you quit the better it is for you, your loved ones and your finances – the average smoker could save over £2,300 a year.
“It’s never too late to quit smoking - Keep trying and you will succeed.”
In the past 20 years the North East has seen the overall adult smoking rate fall by almost two thirds, from 29 per cent in 2005 to 10.2 per cent in 2024.
And according to the University College London (UCL) Smoking Toolkit Study of people aged 16 and over, around 46 per cent of the region’s smokers – an estimated 169,000 people – tried to quit in 2025. That’s the highest rate in the country.
However, confidence in quitting can be low – with nearly half of smokers relying on willpower alone.
Yet every quit attempt can bring someone a step closer to stopping for good, and there is now a wider range of support and effective quit aids available to improve the chances of success.
‘Getting support isn’t cheating’
The North East regional tobacco control programme Fresh is therefore encouraging even more people to make a quit attempt this Stoptober.
Ailsa Rutter, the director of Fresh, said: “This Stoptober is a massive chance for thousands of people to turn their backs on smoking.
“It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve tried before – it is never too late to stop and gain benefits to your health and finances.
“Getting free and effective support helps you take the stress and cravings out of quitting and helps your quit go a lot further.
“Getting support isn’t cheating, it’s about giving yourself the best chance to keep you from smoking, week by week.”
Benefits of stopping smoking
If you stop smoking for 28 days this Stoptober, you’re five times more likely to quit for good.
And quitting smoking brings immediate benefits – from feeling calmer and saving money, to reducing health risks as the weeks and months pass.
Someone who quits can also save more than £2,000 a year to spend on other things.
Support to quit smoking
If you’re quitting for Stoptober, there are a range of free and effective options which boost your chances of success:
- Local stop smoking services offer free, personalised support from trained advisors who understand the challenges of quitting.
They help develop a quit plan and support with the best quitting aids to ease the cravings – boosting your chance of success.
- Digital support on your phone: the free Smoke Free app is a digital stop smoking service that gives flexible support for people with busy lives.
You can build your own tailored quit plan, track progress, see how much money you are saving, and receive support and motivation throughout the quit journey.
- New and better quitting aids and stop smoking medications than ever before - nicotine replacement therapy, including patches, gum and lozenges, as well as stop smoking medications such as Varenicline and Cytisinicline to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
Some are available for free through local stop smoking services.
- Switching completely to vaping is still the most popular quitting aid and less harmful than smoking.
Vaping helps people manage nicotine cravings without inhaling the harmful smoke produced by cigarettes.
Local stop smoking services can provide advice and support, and even get you started with free vape starter kits.
Find your way to quit and find local support at www.FreshQuit.co.uk