Stoptober is Back! Medical Specialists® Pharmacy urge the nation's smokers to join the annual stop smoking attempt

Let’s be honest – there is never a bad time to stop smoking. Smokers can kick the habit on any given day or week, but if there is an ideal time to try and with a boosted chance of giving up for good, the month of October is a great time of the year to start.

The 1st October will see the launch of what is now a regular addition to the calendar - the annual 28-day Stoptober campaign, created and funded by Public Health England as an effective drive to encourage more of the nation to kick smoking into touch.

Last year saw over a quarter of a million smokers make the pledge to try and stop smoking, with a huge increase in the number of patients coming to Medical Specialists® Pharmacy for information about obtaining the popular smoking cessation treatment Champix (Varenicline), and the pharmacy expects a similar sales surge for 2015, if not much bigger.

Data from the Office for National Statistics show that 18.7% of adults in the UK smoked in 2013 - down from 19.8% in 2012. After the conclusion of last year’s Stoptober, Public Health England say its latest figures indicated that smoking rates had continued to fall during the last few months of 2014.

A 4 week duration is used for the Stoptober challenge due to the fact that research has shown those who manage to abstain from smoking for 28 days are actually 5 times more likely to quit for good. In addition, it is often said for every 28 days a smoker quits for, they could add an extra week onto their lifespan.

At Medical Specialists®, we know that making the leap into tobacco-free territory can be difficult and stressful, but those deciding to stop smoking should realise they are not alone. Literally thousands of others have made the same pledge to stop too, which should provide a welcome boost to willpower.

In addition, those that decide to sign up to this year’s Stoptober will receive a personal helping hand in their efforts, courtesy of some of the UK’s favourite comedians, such as Al Murray, Bill Bailey, Rhod Gilbert and Shappi Khorsandi. Quitters that register for the service can expect to be inundated with light-hearted and humorous messages of support and encouragement, sent straight to the participant’s phone and email during the 28 day period of Stoptober.

Comedian Rhod Gilbert decided to throw his support behind the annual Stoptober campaign after being a smoker himself for 25 years, toiling for 23 years of those attempting to quit. He says: “I know first-hand that it can be hard to find the motivation to quit, but Stoptober is the perfect time to give it a go,” he says.

There are countless benefits to ditching cigarettes. For example, quitters can expect to notice many physical improvements such as a boosted sense of taste and smell, increased energy levels, reduced signs of facial aging and wrinkles, whiter teeth, fresher breath and even better sex due to the improved blood flow and stronger erections for men.

Moreover, people that successfully quit smoking will have much serious longer term benefits, such as a lower risk of suffering from heart disease and a wide range of cancers such as lung cancer, not to mention protecting the health of those in the surrounding vicinity as there will now be no secondhand smoke for them to inhale.

Despite the fact smoking rates have come down in recent years, smoking remains the biggest factor behind preventable illness and premature death in the country - responsible for nearly 80,000 deaths per year in England alone.

Smokers aged 18 or above that want to quit, can use the support Stoptober as a foundation for doing so, along with help from Medical Specialists®.

Begin the road to a smoke-free future today by obtain the smoking cessation medication Champix following an online consultation with one of Medical Specialists’ GMC registered doctors. Champix works out from as little £26.95* a pack. The treatment works by mimicking the effect of nicotine on the body, reducing the urge to smoke and relieving withdrawal symptoms. It can also decrease the enjoyment you experience of smoking if you are still smoking whilst on the treatment.

(*based on private prescription price)

Healthier younger adults linked to drop in smoking levels

As we reach the tenth day of the annual Stoptober Challenge, smokers across Britain should be encouraged to learn that the proportion of adults that are smoking in the UK has dropped to its smallest percentage since records began in the 1940s.

Figures published this week by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that amongst the over-18s, smoking prevalence stood at 18.7% in 2013 – down from the rate of 19.8% in 2012.
The decline was revealed by the Integrated Household Survey run by ONS, a survey that quizzed almost 270,000 people over the age of 18 about their smoking habits.

The other large-scale survey to monitor smoking – the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey – demonstrated a smoking prevalence of 20% in 2012, and is widely expected to confirm the drop below one in five when its latest set of figures are released in November.

The 18.7% smoking rate shows ministers could be on course for hitting their target of bringing down the percentage of smokers to 18.5% by 2015 – if more people continue to quit.

Public Health Minister Jane Ellison said: “It is very welcome that the number of smokers is at its lowest level as this means many more people will not die prematurely. However we want to help more people to quit as smoking is still a huge killer, taking nearly 80,000 lives a year. We know the idea of giving up smoking can be daunting but by using a local stop smoking service smokers are four times more likely to succeed.”

Much of the drop has been pinpointed to an ever-increasing number of younger adults that are quickly wising up to the massive damage that smoking can do, and turning against tobacco. The younger generation are generally more clean-living than their ancestors, something many believed could be linked the rise of social media, meaning there is a better chance youngsters are in their bedrooms on Facebook instead of hanging around street corners or in bars.

The ONS survey did find however that around 21.1% of men are smoking, compared to just 16.5% of women. A third of the population have successfully quit smoking, whilst half say they have never smoked.

The proportion of the population lighting up has drastically decreased though since the 1940s, then tobacco industry statistics showed almost two thirds of men were smokers. When the ONS began records of their own in 1974, 45% of Brits were smokers – 52% of men and 41% of women.
By 2006, the numbers had slashed in half, but stayed at around the 20% level through the years of the recent recession, despite the introduction of the 2007 smoking ban.

The new figures released this week were obviously met with delight by ministers and the charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash), who said the findings should allay fears that increasing use of electronic cigarettes would result in more people turning to regular smoking.

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of Ash, said: “This statistically significant decline in adult smokers shows that the government’s tobacco control plan is working. However, over 80,000 people still die from smoking every year in England and every week hundreds of children take up smoking.

“Tough new measures to regulate tobacco, like plain standardised packaging, are needed if we are to drive down smoking still further. We urge the government to waste no time in allowing parliament to vote on the regulations which will finally get rid of glitzy, glamorous cigarette packs forever,” Arnott said.

“The drop in smoking also shows that concerns that the use of electronic cigarettes would lead to a renormalisation of tobacco use appear unfounded. The rapid increase in use of these products has coincided with a consistent steady decline in smoking.”

New York’s smoking laws due to be tightened

In the UK we have just come to the end of Stoptober, which finished on 28 October. The campaign was to encourage smokers to think about their health and the dangers of tobacco, in the hope that many will stop smoking for good.

However, across the Atlantic Ocean it seems our American counterparts are just as dedicated to reducing the number of people smoking with the fantastic news that New York City Council has voted to increase the minimum age for buying cigarettes from 18 to 21.

The current age limit of 18 years of age is a federal minimum that is standard in many places. Smokers are banned from smoking in any New York park and beach, in addition to the majority of the city’s restaurants.

The banning of anyone under the age of 21 purchasing or being sold cigarettes in New York City is amongst the strictest anti-smoking legislation in the U.S., and will be set at a higher age than nearly all other areas of the U.S. with the exception of just a few select places.

Those who lobbied for the change in the law have pointed to disappointing city statistics that show smoking rates for the youth of New York City has plateaued at 8.5% since 2007.

New York City mayor, Michael Bloomberg, is a strong advocate for anti-smoking measures and he now has 30 days to sign-off the bill. After this, the bill will be activated 180 days later.

“We know that tobacco dependence can begin very soon after a young person first tries smoking so it’s critical that we stop young people from smoking before they ever start,” Bloomberg said in a statement.

Mr Bloomberg had initially attempted to pass through legislation that would force all shops to have cigarettes out of public view, but this plan was scrapped earlier this year.

Another measure to be pushed through by New York City council members will see a base price of $10.50 (£6.55) being set for a packet of cigarettes and to bolster law enforcement’s role in the trade of illegal tobacco sales and distribution.

“This will literally save many, many lives,” said city councillor James Gennaro, the bill’s sponsor, whose mother and father died from tobacco-related illnesses. “I’ve lived with it, I’ve seen it…but I feel good today.”

As expected, cigarette companies have hit back and argue youths who smoke will simply turn to the black market to obtain their cigarettes, whilst there are those who consider it absurd that a person deemed to be old/mature enough to serve in the military is then told they are not old enough to smoke.

“New York City already has the highest cigarette tax rate and the highest cigarette smuggling rate in the country,” said Bryan D. Hatchell, a spokesman for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, which produces Camel and various other brands. “Those go hand in hand and this new law will only make the problem worse.”

Following yesterday’s vote, New York is now the largest city by some distance to ban the sake of cigarettes to 19 and 20-year-olds and a similar ban could occur in Hawaii, depending on the vote in December.

Presently, Needham, Massachusetts already has a minimum tobacco-buying age of 21 in, and this age will also be applied come January in nearby Canton, Massachusetts. New Jersey are also contemplating the same approach to buying cigarettes too.

Stoptober begins as thousands try to stop smoking for 28 days

You may not be aware but today is the first day of the Stoptober challenge, a 28-day challenge aimed at getting as many of the 10 million adults who smoke in Britain to stop smoking for this time period as health experts believe you are five times more likely to stay smokefree if you have successfully managed to stop for 28 days.

One way or another, smoking can and usually does impact all of us. There is a good chance that one or more of your family members smoke, and you are friends with people who smoke. Even if you yourself do not smoke, you could still be impacted by passive smoking. What smokers may not realise is that for each 28 days abstaining from cigarettes for the rest of your life, you can actually save a whole week in life.

Of course, some benefits you may notice in the short-term. Following 48 hours of not smoking, your body will now be free of nicotine and this will boost your sense of taste and smell. After 72 hours, your breathing will be improved and within 9 months of quitting you will probably notice a dramatic reduction in coughing, wheezing and breathing problems.

Last year’s Stoptober challenge saw an incredible 160,000 smokers complete the 28-day challenge and it is hoped that even more will get involved this year. Helping them along the way will be a free Stoptober pack containing support tools to help get through the 28 days, a mobile app available on iPhone and Android smartphones, as well as regular text and email support which will offer tips and advice to keep you focused in reaching your goal.

Stopping smoking can be an incredibly difficult challenge however and unless you have experienced it yourself, it can be hard to understand what it is like to try and give up cigarettes. If you think you may struggle to complete Stoptober, or even completely stop smoking after completing Stoptober, here are some tips to help you through the next month and hopefully beyond:

. Understand your reasons for quitting

Writing down a list of the reasons why you want to quit smoking may provide the necessary motivation to power through when things get difficult and you find the temptation to smoke is increasing. Who will benefit from you stopping? How much money each week/month will you save? How will your health and appearance benefit? Write down all these positives and know your reasons for quitting smoking – it will drive you on to persevere.

. Social media can connect you to fellow quitters

Facebook and Twitter can provide a useful outlet for describing your trials and tribulations during the next 28 days and reaching out to friends, family and fellow quitters you may not even know, could prove a huge morale-boosting motivation to quit. During last year’s Stoptober challenge, 50,000 people joined the Facebook Stoptober page. That’s like a football stadium full of people all cheering you on to the finish line!

. Stay active

Exercise may not be the first thing you feel like doing whilst trying not to smoke, but there is research to suggest that exercise actually helps to reduce cravings. It is thought that exercise helps the brain to produce chemicals which can suppress cravings. Even if you don’t fancy joining a gym just yet, try walking the dog or going for a brisk walk around the block, or just playing badminton perhaps with a friend.

. Get rid of cigarettes and other tobacco products from your home, car and work place.

If you don’t want the temptation there to smoke and want a feeling of liberation, then throw away all your packets of cigarettes. This means keeping absolutely no ‘emergency’ packs on standby! Next, bin any lighters, ashtrays, and matches you have cluttering up your house, car, or at work as you don’t need reminding of the habit you are benefitting from stopping. Then vigorously wash anything that still has the disgusting odour of cigarettes on it, whether this be clothes, curtains, furniture, bedding, etc.

. Reward yourself

Keep a jar handy and all the money you would usually spend (waste) on cigarettes can be put into the jar. Then at the end of the month you can treat yourself to something nice such as clothes, new shoes, or even more…depending on how many cigarettes you were previously buying!

Smokers are encouraged to join the Stoptober challenge

For the second consecutive year, the anti-smoking campaign ‘Stoptober’ will be running and aimed at encouraging smokers to quit smoking for 28 days in October.

Public Health England (PHE) is behind the campaign which begins on October 1^st and promotion for it has already begun across England and Wales. PHE state that 2012’s challenge was an overwhelming success, with over 275,000 people registering for last year’s Stoptober, of which 160,000 managed to finish the 28 day challenge.

The 28 day time length for the challenge is not simply an arbitrary number; health experts say that a smoker who quits for 28 days, and abstains from cigarettes, could add a week onto their lifespan, every 28 days, for the rest of their life.

The benefits to stopping smoking


Those who quit usually experience physical improvements such as a better sense of taste and smell, more energy, a delayed onset of facial aging and wrinkles, whiter teeth, fresher breath and better sex due to improved blood flow and stronger erections for men.
In the longer term, those who quit smoking can significantly reduce the risk of suffering from heart disease and a wide range of cancers such as lung cancer, on top of preserving the health of those around you as there will now be no secondhand smoke.

England’s chief medical officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies, said: “One in two long-term smokers die as a result of smoking, this is the single biggest cause of premature death taking more than 100,000 lives in the UK and costing the NHS up to £2.7 billion each year. Life is precious and Stoptober is all about supporting and encouraging each other to quit – potentially adding years to your life. Taking part in the challenge is a first step to a longer and healthier life, so have a go by stopping with Stoptober.”

Professor Kevin Fenton, director of health and wellbeing at Public Health England, added: “Campaigns such as Stoptober, along with the support provided by local stop smoking services, play a huge role in helping people to stop. Whilst smoking prevalence across the country as a whole is falling steadily, it remains high in some parts. We want every smoker to consider making a quit attempt this October and join the thousands of people who are feeling the benefits from stopping smoking last year.”

However, there are also major monetary benefits to be felt from giving up cigarettes – particularly important when considering how difficult it is for many families in the current financial climate. By quitting smoker, the average smoker can expect to save more than £150 a month and nearly £2,000 a year – if we take £7.77 for the cost price of a packet of cigarettes and an average daily consumption of 13 cigarettes per smoker. Incredibly, it was estimated that during last year’s Stoptober campaign £25 million was saved by 160,000 people from not buying cigarettes.

Those who want to sign up for Stoptober will receive a free stop-smoking pack, a 28-day mobile phone app and text support via daily updates and advice on quitting.

If you are a smoker who is aged 18 or above and wants to quit, you do not need to wait for Stoptober to begin. Quit today with the help of Medical Specialists Pharmacy. You can obtain the smoking cessation medication Champix following an online consultation with one of Medical Specialists’ GMC registered doctors. Champix works out from as little as just £75.00 per pack and mimics the effect of nicotine on the body, reducing the urge to smoke and relieving withdrawal symptoms. It can also decrease the enjoyment you experience of smoking if you are still smoking whilst on the treatment.

Ian Wright is using everything in his arsenal to make Stoptober a success

If you have been paying close attention to the Medical Specialists Pharmacy website, you will be aware that yesterday saw the start of The Department of Health’s national anti-smoking campaign ‘Stoptober’, of which Medical Specialists is a proud supporter of. It will be running for 28 days, finishing on 28 October. This specific time period was chosen as it is believed that you are five times more likely to quit for good after abstaining for 28 days.

The campaign is the first mass attempt at getting the nation’s 8 million smokers to kick the habit for good, mainly for the benefit of their health and those around them, and also to save the NHS millions of pounds each year. New Year’s Resolutions may be the only reason why many people try (and fail) to stop smoking, however why not get involved with Stoptober and join millions of people around the country in the fight against harmful cigarettes, improving your appearance, health and cash.

However, you don’t need to just listen to us. The campaign is being backed by a whole host of celebrities including former Arsenal and England footballer Ian Wright, former Apprentice contestant Kate Walsh and leading makeup artist Gary Cockerill. Using their area of expertise, the trio will be providing motivation and support in helping smokers to quit. Other famous faces who are backing the campaign are Gordon Ramsay, Sharron Davies and Jeff Brazier.

As well as expert advice from the celebrities, those looking to quit will also receive support via a Stoptober support pack, an app on their smartphone, and there has been a dedicated Facebook page setup for people to connect to each other and share their experiences.

Stoptober mentor Ian Wright, like Medical Specialists, seems to understand the huge dangers of cigarettes and why smokers need to get on board with the campaign. He says, “Smoking is one of those habits that’s so easy to fall into but takes real focus and perseverance to get out of. Anyone who makes the effort to quit has my total respect. Stoptober is a great campaign because for many, willpower isn’t enough. Most people need that additional support to avoid slipping into bad habits or kidding themselves that having one won’t hurt. Soon they’re off again. The worst thing is that smoking gives you nothing and it is, literally, killing you, which is why I feel so strongly in backing those who are trying to quit. We all know people who’ve been smoking for 20 years and the damage this can cause to their health is huge. Who wouldn’t want to be able to run up the stairs, play more easily with their children or even put in a man of the match performance every week at football? I tried smoking myself when I was younger. Everybody did it. But I stopped after a few years. I was asthmatic so I knew it wasn’t for me. Loads of people smoked back then and it can’t have helped me. I found it hard to breathe in rooms full of smoke.”

One very interesting point we note is that Wright mentions he suffers from asthma, joining other former and currently footballers who also suffer from the lung condition; including David Beckham and Paul Scholes. Hopefully if more asthmatic celebrities speak up about their asthma struggles, this may go some way to dispelling the stigma and feeling of embarrassment that is present in some people who suffer with the airway-constricting lung condition. Not only can smoking trigger asthma attacks, babies and children who are exposed to cigarette smoke are at a high risk of then developing asthma, a subject we covered way back in March.

Adding to Wright’s comments about Stoptober was fellow anti-smoking advocate and mentor Gary Cockerill, who commented on just how smoking can ruin a person’s looks. He said, “Not many people realise how damaging smoking is for skin, hair and teeth. It causes premature aging, yellowing of the teeth and brittle and smelly hair. I’ll be providing some top insider beauty tips and advice on how to improve ‘smoker’s skin’ and minimise the harmful effects smoking has to our looks.”

For part of his involvement with the Stoptober challenge, Wright has agreed to mentor and provide support for one of three ‘superquitters’, together with Walsh and Cockerill who are also doing the same for two other superquitters. Wright is backing 29-year-old Emergy Godden from Liverpool, who remarkably has been smoking ever since she was 14-years of age. Emergy wastes £40 every week on her smoking habit, which could be better spent on more important times in the midst of a double-dip recession. She says, “I want to stop smoking before I turn 30 next year. I’m well aware of the damage I’m doing to my body and know that making just this one change alone will make me much healthier.”

For smokers out there who require some extra support in quitting, allow Medical Specialists to help you. We realise it may be asking a little too much for some people to completely go cold turkey for 28 days. However, we do have the smoking cessation medication Champix, which many argue is better at helping you to stop lighting up in comparison to nicotine patches.

Champix is a prescription medication that works out from as little as just £75.00 per pack, an incredibly small price when it comes to your long-term health. Champix mimics the effect of nicotine on the body, reducing the urge to smoke and relieving withdrawal symptoms. It can also decrease the enjoyment you experience of smoking if you are still smoking whilst on the treatment.

Cancer fatalities should drop as fewer people smoke

Just one week ago, Medical Specialists realise we may have painted a fairly gloomy picture of what life could be like in eighteen years’ time, when we reported how some were predicting obesity levels to soar by 2030 in both the UK and U.S.

However, maybe we should turn that frown upside down after all! With the ‘Stoptober’ campaign set to get underway next Monday, Cancer Research UK have released a whole set of estimations for the same year (2030), and they predict that the rates of many different types of cancer are set to decrease by this point. The positive statistics are also for the charities’ ‘Stand Up To Cancer’, a fundraising partnership between Cancer Research UK and Channel 4. The campaign’s finale will be live TV entertainment show to be broadcast on Friday October 19.

They say that more efficient diagnosis for cancers and treatment will result in a reduction in cancer death rates by up to 17% by 2030. Smoking is the cause of many cancers such as throat, lung, mouth, etc., and this harmful lifestyle choice was obviously the basis of their research. A main reason for the predicted 17% drop is because there are now less people smoking than previous years, which could be down to certain adverts depicting images of blackened lungs after the damaging long-term effects of smoking.

In 2010 it was calculated that for every 100,000 of the general population in the UK, 170 people died from cancer. By 2030 this figure is estimated to have dropped by then to 142 for every 100,000. Breast cancer death rates are predicted to decrease by 28%, bowel cancer should drop by 23% and prostate cancer by 16%. However the largest decrease appears to be ovarian cancer, which is forecast to nosedive by an impressive 42.6%.

Interestingly, some cancers could increase by mortality rates. Liver cancer appears to look to be the worst, with death rates expected to rise by 39%. That means there is an incidence increase from 4.2 to 5.9 per 100,000 people. Next is oral cancer, which may rise by 22%.  This is an incidence rise from 2.9 to 3.5 per 100,000 people.

Professor Peter Sasieni, Cancer Research UK epidemiologist at Queen Mary, University of London, spoke on the forecasts for 2030 and said, “Our latest estimations show that for many cancers, adjusting for age, death rates are set to fall dramatically in the coming decades. And what’s really encouraging is that the biggest cancer killers, lung, breast, bowel, and prostate, are part of this falling trend. Because old age is the biggest risk factor for cancer and more people are living longer, they have a greater chance of developing and, unfortunately, dying from the disease. But overall the proportion, or rate, of those who die from cancer is falling.”

Adding to Professor Sasieni’s comments was Dr Harpal Kumar, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, who said, “These new figures are encouraging and highlight the huge progress we’re making. Research across many areas is having real impact. But we know there’s still so much more to do if we are to reach a day when no one dies prematurely from cancer. We continue to rely on the publics’ generosity to drive progress. This helps us turn discoveries made in our science labs into new treatments and to carry out clinical trials to find the best ways to treat patients. There are more exciting opportunities now to make a step-change than at any other time in history and we must grasp these.”

The dangers of second hand and third hand smoking

By now everybody should be fully aware of the dangers of first hand smoking. Medical Specialists Pharmacy have covered them in great depths during 2012 such as here and here. What we have not reported on yet in detail, is how second hand and even third hand smoking can negatively impact a person’s health.

Secondhand smoking (SHS) may be also described as ‘passive’ or ‘involuntary’ smoking, as it occurs when somebody breathes in another person’s cigarette smoke. SHS causes many of the same conditions and diseases that direct smoking can result in, including cardiovascular disease, lung cancer, a brain tumour, asthma, dementia and numerous other problems. It is actually estimated that in the UK alone a staggering 11,000 people die each year from heart disease, cancers and strokes that are directly connected to the damage brought on by SHS.

The major health risks involved with SHS were the main driving force behind the government’s 2007 nationwide smoking ban, prohibiting anybody from smoking in all public spaces including pubs, nightclubs, restaurants, shops and many other popular places. When the ban first came into effect five years ago, opponents to the law raised fears that it would lead to an increase of smoking inside the home and thus it would cause children to be more exposed to SHS.

However it seems that these fears were unnecessary. In the five years since the ban came into effect in the UK, there has been plenty of evidence to show that people are taking the subject of smoking seriously in comparison to previous years. Some argue than the ban of smoking in public spaces has opened people’s eyes to the massive dangers of breathing in cigarette smoke and many parents are actually putting in extra effort, to protect their children from inhaling in the smoke.

Scotland was the first country in the UK to be hit with a smoking ban, which came into effect in March 2006. A study carried out by Glasgow University found that there was a 15% drop in the number of children with asthma being admitted to hospital, one of the main health conditions that is both caused and then triggered by cigarette smoke. The benefits that have been seen by the various smoking bans across UK countries is something Medical Specialists looked at earlier in the year.

So who is mainly at risk from the after-effects of breathing in SHS? Basically the answer is everybody and there are absolutely no ‘safe’ levels of secondhand smoke. But there are certain groups who are more vulnerable and may develop serious health problems from it. For example, babies and newborns are a particularly major high-risk group. If a woman smokes during her pregnancy this means the unborn baby will receive less oxygen and will have more carbon monoxide in their bloodstream.

Other problems that could therefore arise include the baby having a low birth weight,  miscarriage, premature birth or sudden infant death syndrome; whereby babies of mothers who smoke are twice as likely to die from this compared to babies carried by a non-smoker. Children who are exposed to SHS also face suffering with persistent colds, ear infections, pneumonia, bronchitis, and severe asthma. SHS can severely impact lung growth in children and can then cause them to cough, wheeze, and suffer with breathlessness.

It is not just babies and newborns though who are impacted by the smoking of others. Only last week, researchers at Northumbria University claimed that the results of a study they had conducted, showed that non-smokers  who breathe in second hand smoke on a regular basis, could suffer from memory problems. The researchers who conducted the study compared a group of current smokers with two different groups of non-smokers; those often exposed to SHS and those who weren’t. The exposed group either lived with somebody who smoked or spent time with smokers, for example at designated smoking areas at work, etc.  And this was for around 25 hours each week for an average of four and a half years. The groups were then tested on time-based memory and event-based memory. Worryingly it was found that the non-smokers who were exposed to SHS actually forgot nearly 20% more in memory tests compared with those who were not regularly exposed. It was even worse for the current smokers, with this group forgetting 30% more than people who were not exposed to SHS.

If all the above was not a big enough cause for concern, there is also the issue of ‘third hand’ smoke, sometimes also known as residual tobacco smoke. Third hand smoke might be a term that some people have never even heard of or are not familiar with, but it is a subject that does need considering. This is a term that used for tobacco residue that lingers, sticking to things such as walls, carpets, furniture, clothing and other surfaces. Although smokers going outside a building to designated smoking areas will reduce secondhand smoking, the residue clings to their clothing and skin and follow them back inside.

Young children and babies are most susceptible at ingesting these cancer-causing toxins as they are more likely to be in a closer proximity, crawling/playing on the floor and tend to put things into their mouths. Although no specific cancer-risks have been properly measured to get an idea of the magnitude of the issue and the risks of third hand smoke are likely small compared to SHS, many people are now appreciating the possible dangers. In fact in October 2011, Christus St. Frances Cabrini Hospital in Alexandria, Louisiana, made the news after it was revealed that they would ban third hand smoke from July 2012. Therefore employees whose clothing smell of smoke will be forbidden from being at work. The ban came about primarily because of the threat of third hand smoking, on the developing brains of infants and small children.

Now you know about just some of the dangers that both second and third hand smoke can cause to people, it could be time to consider about making positive changes today, to vastly improve the health of you and your loved ones. It might be sometimes impossible to eliminate your exposure, but there are steps you can take to drastically reduce the threat to an absolutely minimal level. Alternatively, if you are a smoker and worried about those around you, now might be the point to get on board with next months ‘Stoptober’ campaign,  to try and quit for good or at least consider the improvements you could make to protect the health of others.

Don’t allow smoke into your house. If you, a friend or family member wants to smoke, go outside to do it. Explain this policy to your guests when they enter your home and do not put out any ashtrays around the house.

. Don’t allow smoke into your car. If you or a passenger wishes to smoke, stop at a place where you can they smoke outside of the vehicle.

. If a family member smokes, offer your full support and encourage them to quit. Be gentle yet firm.

. Only choose childcare facilities that operate with a no smoking policy. Also let babysitters know in advance that you house is a smoke-free zone.

. If you are at a nightclub or pub with a friend who smokes, do not accompany them outside when they decide to have a cigarette.

. Open windows and use fans to keep your home ventilated.

. If you are going away on holiday, request strictly a non-smoking room and other such facilities.

. If you smoke and are thinking of quitting, try effective smoking cessation medication such as Champix.

Anti-smoking ‘Stoptober’ campaign to kick-off next month

A National stop smoking campaign funded by the Department of Health, and backed by both Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation, will get underway next month. The primary aim will be a huge attempt to encourage the nation’s 8 million smokers to stub out cigarettes and embrace the beneficial impacts that doing this can have on their lives.

The new initiative is the first of its kind and has been named ‘Stoptober’. It will begin on 1^st October and last for a total of 28 days. The reasoning for this specific time period is because experts have claimed that if smokers stop for 28 days, they are actually five times more likely to completely quit forever.

The idea has seemingly come about after a realisation that people tend to quit smoking as part of their New Year’s Resolutions, quickly give-up, and then there is no motivation during the rest of the year to do anything similar. Martin Dockrell of ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) spoke about the scheme and said, “You get a surge of people quitting on New Year’s Day and in March on No Smoking day. But there’s nothing for the rest of the year.”

Maureen Talbot, Senior Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation released a media statement and spoke about why all smokers should get involved with Stoptober, saying, “Stopping smoking is the single best thing you can do for your own health as well as those you love and live with. Quitting also makes you look better by improving your skin and teeth and, of course, it helps your finances too.”

Any smoker who decides to accept the Stoptober challenge will be provided with a motivational kit that will give them daily encouragement as well as support in the way of television and radio advertising. There will also be roadshows taking place up and down the country which will give smokers the chance to get together and share their experiences during the four weeks.

In Britain it is estimated that 21% of adults smoke cigarettes and smoking is still the biggest cause of premature death in England, claiming roughly 100,000 lives each year. If more people finally decided to stop smoking for good then this would cause less heartache for families and less money wasted by the NHS at a time when their budgets are restrained by a government looking to reduce the countries deficit.

If you are a smoker and are considering giving the Stoptober challenge a go, here are some facts and statistics about smoking that may persuade you to commit to it:

. Tobacco contains approximately 50 chemicals that can be attributed to cancer.
. Smoking has been proven to be directly responsible for many types of cancer including mouth, lip, throat, lung, kidney, bladder, stomach, liver and cervix.
. Smoking accounts for 71% of all lung cancer deaths.
. Six million deaths around the globe are caused by smoking every year.
. Smokers are twice as likely to suffer from a heart attack in comparison to their non-smoking counterparts.
. In 2009 within the UK there were 102,000 fatalities due to smoking-related health conditions.
. Those with the willpower to finally quit can look forward to a physical boost such as a better sense of taste and smell, as well as a lot more energy.

Of course, not everybody will be able to successfully go ‘cold turkey’ for a stretch of 28 days. For the heavier smokers, this could be asking an awful lot of them to do. Other therapies that are worth considering include smoking cessation medication such as Champix which mimics the effects of nicotine on the body. Therefore, this medication simultaneously will decrease the urge you have to smoke and also relieve the withdrawal symptoms. It even manages to make the experience of smoking a less enjoyable one should you give-in to the cravings and decide to light up a cigarette.