Thousands of people want to quit smoking as part of the tenth Stoptober

Thousands of people will try to quit smoking cigarettes over the next four weeks. They are taking part in the Stoptober campaign, which is being held for the tenth time.

“Stop Smoking Month” is an initiative of the Ministry of Health, the Lung Fund, the Heart Foundation, and KWF. Participants receive daily guidance and support in their attempts, including via an app. According to organizers, more than 50,000 Dutch people participate in Stoptober each year, and this year the 500,000th quitter is expected.

Celebrities participating this year include writer Herman Brusselmans, First Dates host Sergio Vyent, and TV personality Maxime Meiland.

With a success rate of 70%, Stoptober seems to be a great success for people who want to quit smoking, according to the initiators on their website. Overall, about two-thirds of all participants lasted 28 days smoke-free thanks to the support and guidance they received during the month.

According to the initiators of the “anti-smoking month”, their research has shown that participants gain in confidence and belief that it is possible to quit smoking. The top reasons Stoptober works for them are the Stoptober app (38%), quitting together (37%), support (38%), and a clear schedule (30%).

According to the organizers, 28 days is just long enough to experience the positive effects of quitting smoking. By then, you will have already left most of the withdrawal symptoms behind. Furthermore, scientific research shows that people who manage to quit smoking for four weeks are five times more likely than other smokers to keep it up permanently.