Stoptober + Vaping = 12 years of success!
Stoptober returns for 2024 bigger and better than ever.
At Flavour Vapour we try and play our part, this year is no different! We are offering you FREE next day delivery on all orders for the whole month of October – unlike Amazon you don’t need a membership (and we won’t be launching any rockets into orbit any time soon).
What’s the story…
So far as this blog post is concerned, 2 major events took place in 2012 – Flavour Vapour was born in the ocean city of Plymouth, and the UK’s very first month-long stop smoking campaign was launched.
Stoptober (a clever portmanteau) was borne of necessity and for the first time the Department of Health devised a nation-wide media blitz to encourage smokers to attempt 28 days without cigarettes. Stoptober posters could be found everywhere from doctor’s surgeries to train stations, while radio and TV ads filled the airwaves and believe it or not there was even an app. Sure, the app was only downloaded by 1,100 people – but bear in mind the most sophisticated mobile phone available at the time was the iPhone 5 and Gangnam Style was top of the charts – enough said.
Stoptober 2012 was certainly a success. According to data collected at the time, more than 350,000 quit attempts were made during the first campaign. To put that into some perspective, prior to Stoptober, the UK had an annual “No Smoking Day” every march – over a 5-year period to 2012 30,000 adult smokers attempted to quit for No Smoking Day.
What was different about Stoptober…
There are a few reasons why Stoptober was (and remains) so successful… rather than emphasising the harms of smoking (which everyone already knew), the Stoptober message was clearly based on the positive message of hope. With the right mindset and the right support, YOU CAN QUIT SMOKING. Well over a quarter of a million people agreed and took the challenge.
Unusually (at the time!), Stoptober made no attempt to shame smokers. There were no “you stink” posters or “smoking is selfish” TV ads. Instead, Stoptober made it very clear that quitting smoking is a great idea is help available if you’d like to give it a go.
The first Stoptober campaign also had a strong message of being realistic. Rather than adopt a seemingly impossible “just say no” approach, Stoptober began with a well-defined intermediary goal – 28 days smokefree.
How successful was the first Stoptober?
Even the most conservative estimates at the time suggest that around 2.5% of the 350,000 people who gave the first Stoptober a go did indeed quit for good. That may not sound like a lot, but it translates into an estimated 10,400 discounted life years (DLY), which put very simply is the number of years saved by those people giving up smoking.
Then consider the healthcare costs… each successful quit save the NHS around £1700 in direct healthcare costs. If 8750 people saved £1,700 per year for 20 years, the NHS saved a whopping £295.5 MILLION.
It is much harder to calculate indirect savings to the NHS, but we know for sure the result of more than 8000 people quitting smoking back in 2012 led to less GP appointments, less time off work and a lower demand for long-term treatments. Certainly, a net benefit.
To infinity and beyond…
So, it’s safe to conclude that the very first Stoptober was more successful than could have been hoped, what happened next?
It’s been a long 14 years since 2012 (a global pandemic, multiple Prime Ministers, Oasis finally getting back together), but one thing has remained constant – Stoptober encourages hundreds of thousands of smokers to quit every year.
But let’s be perfectly honest, the introduction of electronic cigarettes (vapes) has been an amazing addition to the Stoptober arsenal. In fact, the NHS have a section of their Stoptober quit smoking guide dedicated to vaping.
Way back in 2012, vaping was also in its infancy. As great as the first kits were, they definitely weren’t as good as the current crop of awesome pod kits, not to mention the mind-blowing array of e-liquid choices now available to suit just about every taste.
At Flavour Vapour we make no apology for supporting Stoptober, whether in our stores or online – which is why for 2024 we are offering FREE DELIVERY on every order to ensure the right kit is available to everyone.
What’s more, we are proud to offer comprehensive ongoing support to anyone who makes the decision to go smokefree – our dedicated team are always available to offer best-in-class help and advice.
If you are looking to give up smoking this Stoptober here is our list of the best starter kits and a handy nicotine strength guide…
Top of The Pods…
Perfect for beginners and those looking to move on from disposables, the INNOKIN Endura V is a superb choice.
In a packed field of very good pod kits, the Endura V has a couple of party tricks to separate it from the crowd, and it definitely won’t break the bank...
Perfect for beginners and anyone looking to move on from disposables, the VOOPOO Argus Z is a great option.
Small, light, and simple to use, this sleek kit won’t let you down.
The undisputed king of the pods.
Featuring an intuitive design, easy to read screen and performance beyond anything else currently available – the Xlim Pro 2 really is the best kit we have ever seen.
Getting your e-liquid right…
The single most important part of your smokefree journey is selecting the right nicotine strength. Thankfully, we have got you covered.
Below is a straightforward “rule of thumb” guide to help you get it right.
If you currently smoke 1-5 cigarettes per day, go for 6mg
If you currently smoke 6-10 cigarettes per day, go for 12mg
If you currently smoke 11-20 cigarettes per day, go for 18mg
If you currently smoke more than 20 cigarettes per day, go for 20mg salt nic*
*Salt nic e-liquid has been around for a while and has risen in popularity over the past few years. Effectively, these e-liquids use a different type of nicotine which gives 2 main benefits - the nicotine is delivered into the blood stream much faster (more of a "hit") and they are generally much smoother on the throat. One thing to note is that they are quite a bit stronger than "normal" e-liquids and are mostly suitable for heavy smokers rather than casual or low smokers.
Whatever you choose – we’re here to help!
Shayne @ FV
