People around the country will be making the decision to quit this No Smoking Day, and Hull smokers are being urged to join them. The annual drive to encourage quitting and raise awareness of the risks of smoking falls on Wednesday March 11. Anyone needing inspiration can find it in the recently-released documentary, Quitters.
The film stars Hull residents and is a powerful 30-minute focus on how they changed their lives by deciding to stop. Screened at Hull Truck Theatre in January, thousands have already watched the feature either in full, or in shorter clips shared online.
Every person featured in Quitters gave up smoking with the support of SmokeFree Hull – the city’s stop smoking service. They include Rosemary, who reflects candidly on what motivated her to quit after 50 years, and Andy, who smoked for 49 years but stopped when it began affecting his day-to-day life.
Cllr Linda Chambers, Portfolio Holder for Public Health at Hull City Council, said: “We have had a truly fantastic response to Quitters, since launching it in January. No Smoking Day is the perfect time for anyone thinking about giving up to watch it, and see the impact stopping can have.
“The message on this national day of focus, and every day, is that nobody has to do it alone. When you decide it’s time to stop, the support is there, it’s free and its tailored to you. SmokeFree Hull, Hull’s stop smoking service helps people start their quit journey every single day, and No Smoking Day can be a great driver to make that commitment.
“Stopping smoking is not easy. Most people need more than one attempt to quit. That’s normal, and it’s not a failure and doesn’t mean you can’t do it. That’s one of the messages that comes through repeatedly in Quitters. Those who share their stories all speak about previous attempts, before the one that worked.
“I would urge anyone thinking about stopping to watch Quitters. See it, share it, be inspired to stop”.
Tracy Mikkelsen Edwards, Service Manager for SmokeFree Hull said: “Quitters is a great example of how stopping smoking can change your life in a big way, by improving your health and finances and giving you time back with your family too. All are achievable with the right support from our team.
“We can provide stop smoking products and medication to help with cravings alongside support and encouragement from your own SmokeFree Advisor. Noone has to face quitting alone; we are here to help!”.
Watch Quitters here, and catch short snippets on Hull City Council’s and SmokeFree Hull’s social media accounts. For free support to stop smoking, contact SmokeFree Hull on 01482 977617 or visit: www.changegrowlive.org/smoke-free-hull/home. You can also try the free app here, or search ‘smokefree’ in your app provider for daily support, stats and updates throughout your quit journey.