Stoptober 2016 prepares for launch following historic drop in smoking rates

The government has announced the return of Stoptober, the annual smoking cessation campaign that has helped to bring the number of smokers in England to a record low.

Organised annually by Public Health England, the month-long mass quitting challenge saw 2.5 million smokers make a quit attempt in 2015, of whom 20 percent were successful. This was the highest recorded success rate to date, up from just 13.6 percent six years ago.

According to the latest data from Nielsen, the number of cigarettes sold in England and Wales has dropped by 20 percent in the last two years, while the smoking rate in England has also fallen to below 17 percent for the first time.

This reflects a growing commitment among smokers to kicking the habit, with just over a million people having used an e-cigarette in a quit attempt, while around 700,000 used a licensed nicotine replacement product such as patches or gum.

In addition, more than 350,000 people used their local stop smoking service in 2015-16, a development with potentially positive public health implications.

Professor Kevin Fenton, national director of health and wellbeing for Public Health England, said: "Quitters will soon see they have reduced blood pressure, easier breathing and better circulation. Stopping smoking is the best thing a smoker can do to improve their health."

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