People who smoke in Oxfordshire are being encouraged to take part in Stoptober and make use of free local support, as the county prepares for a national change designed to help protect future generations from the harms caused by smoking.

From 1 January 2027, it will be illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009. The age of sale will then rise by one year every year, creating the UK’s first smokefree generation.

The latest data estimates that around 7.5 per cent of adults in Oxfordshire smoked in 2024.

Councillor Kate Gregory, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Inequalities, said: “While Oxfordshire’s smoking rates remain below the national average, around 50,000 adults smoke. We would like to support them to quit, just as 2,000 people did last year in the county.

“Smoking is one of the biggest causes of preventable illness, but quitting is not always easy and no one should feel they have to do it alone. Stoptober is a positive opportunity for anyone who smokes to try stopping, with free, confidential and practical support available through Smokefree Oxon.

“Evidence indicates that most smokers take up the habit before the age of 20. This new law will help to prevent that. By helping people to quit now and stopping children from being sold tobacco in the future, we can support a healthier, fairer Oxfordshire.”

The smokefree generation policy is expected to protect around four million young people nationally from tobacco within the next five years.

The change builds on work already taking place across Oxfordshire to help children and young people grow up in healthier environments. This includes Smokefree School Gates, Smokefree Sidelines and INTENT, a school-based programme to prevent smoking and vaping. These initiatives support families, schools and community groups to reduce children’s exposure to smoking and vaping in everyday settings.

Alongside prevention and stop smoking support, the council’s trading standards team continues to take action against the illegal sale of tobacco, vapes and other nicotine products.

Free and confidential help is available from Smokefree Oxon, including up to 12 weeks of specialist support, nicotine replacement products and stop smoking medicines. Find out more by calling 0800 772 3673, texting QUITOXON to 66677 or emailing smokefreeoxon.s4h@nhs.net.

Support now includes Allen Carr’s Easyway (ACE), a free stop smoking service funded by Oxfordshire County Council and available to residents and people who work in the county. It offers a single group seminar, delivered in person or online. The drug-free, evidence-based approach focuses on changing how people think about smoking, rather than relying on medication or willpower. Availability changes regularly, but people can join a waiting list and will be contacted when places become available.

Anyone who suspects illegal tobacco or vape sales, including sales to underage customers or of counterfeit products, can report their concerns to trading standards through the Citizens Advice consumer service.

Reports can be made by calling 0808 223 1133 or online through the Citizens Advice reporting service. Information provided helps local enforcement teams protect communities and tackle illegal trade.

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A company and its director have been fined for illegal tobacco and nicotine product offences following an investigation by Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team.

Arafh Aliammad, 42, of Eldon Court, Glasgow, the owner and director of Empire Barber 2 Ltd, 15 Oxford Road, Kidlington, pleaded guilty to all offences on behalf of himself and the company at a hearing at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Friday 13 March.

Mr Aliammad and the company were ordered to pay £2,936.95 in fines and costs, bringing the total to £5,873.90.

The court heard that trading standards officers inspected the premises on 21 January 2025, seizing 59 unit packs of nicotine pouches and a numbered display of 30 dummy boxes of illegal electronic cigarettes, or vapes. The display created the impression that the products could be legally sold when they could not.

Officers also identified an open display of tobacco products, which is prohibited by law, and found that no A3 tobacco warning notice was displayed, despite this being a legal requirement. The business had previously received written advice from trading standards on similar issues in 2024.

In mitigation, Zee Raja, representing Mr Aliammad, told the court that his client had learned from this experience and was committed to ensuring he did not appear before the court again.

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: “Illegal tobacco and nicotine products have no place on our high streets. Our trading standards officers work tirelessly to protect residents from products that are unsafe, unregulated and highly addictive, and this case shows that we will take robust action where the law is ignored.”

Mr Aliammad is also due to appear before Reading Magistrates’ Court on 25 September 2026 in relation to allegations of illegal tobacco and nicotine product offences committed at a different premises in Oxford, which he denies.

Davina Walkin, Trading Standards Operations Manager at Oxfordshire County Council, added: “Our trading standards officers will continue to take firm and proportionate action to disrupt the illegal sale of tobacco and nicotine products. Where businesses ignore the law or fail to act on previous advice, we will not hesitate to step in to protect the public.”

Anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco and nicotine products should contact 0300 999 6 999 to report it anonymously or visit www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk.

More information

Nicotine is highly addictive. Nicotine pouches are not currently age-restricted and, unlike vapes, there is no bespoke legislation limiting their nicotine content. A Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) study (May 2024) showed that 18 per cent of the surveyed male players and 22 per cent of the female players use nicotine pouches.

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Smoking remains one of the leading causes of preventable illness and early death and is a major driver of health inequalities.

The new Oxfordshire Tobacco Control Strategy (2026 - 2030) brings together partners across health, local government, and the voluntary sector with a shared ambition to continue work to make Oxfordshire a smokefree county - defined as smoking prevalence below five per cent.

Launched to coincide with No Smoking Day, which was marked on 11 March, the strategy focuses on five key areas: working in partnership, preventing uptake, supporting smokers to quit, creating smokefree environments, and regulation and enforcement. Together, these aim to protect children and young people, support people who want to stop smoking, and ensure everyone can live healthier lives free from the harms of tobacco.

Councillor Kate Gregory, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Inequalities at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Our new Tobacco Control Strategy sets out a clear, ambitious plan to help people in Oxfordshire stop smoking and to prevent the next generation from ever starting.

“Tobacco use continues to drive unfair health inequalities across our communities, and tackling it is central to our commitment to improving public health. By working with our partners and supporting residents to quit, we can move closer to a smokefree Oxfordshire.”

The strategy builds on previous progress in reducing smoking rates locally, while recognising that continued action is needed to support those most affected by smoking‑related harm, including people living in more deprived communities and those with long‑term health conditions.

There is a wealth of free local support available to help smokers take the first step towards quitting, including expert advice and stop smoking aids, through the county council’s local stop smoking service, SmokeFree Oxfordshire.

Find out what support is available to quit for good by visiting SmokeFree Oxfordshire’s website, freephone 0800 772 3673 or texting QUITOXON to 66777.

The Oxfordshire Tobacco Control Strategy 2026 to 2030 is available to read in full on the county council’s website.

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After quitting her forty year smoking habit, outdoors loving Angela Face is celebrating another achievement – climbing Snowdon for the first time!

Following her experiences of taking part in Oxfordshire County Council’s Allen Carr’s Easway (ACE) stop smoking pilot, the Henley resident is encouraging others to take advantage of other local stop smoking services and quit for good.

Angela, who is 53 years old, first started smoking aged just 13 following a family move to Scotland.

She explained: “It wasn't due to peer pressure as most people would assume. It was something that I did on my own and in secret. I started as a bit of a rebellion to my parents as they were quite strict. I would use my dinner money to buy them and hide them outside.

"It was a desire for some control, but little did I know of course that the cigarettes would end up controlling me!”

She admitted she’d previously tried to quit about six or seven times unsuccessfully, being motivated by her own children’s dislike of the habit.

“They would turn away from me if I gave them a hug, because of the smell – I hated that. And my kids being grown up now and the possibility of having grandchildren, I didn’t like the thought of smoking around them.

“I’d tried all sorts in the past – lozenges, patches, tablets but each time I went back to smoking.”

Not wanting to give up on giving up, Angela discovered the council’s pilot through a Facebook ad. After giving her details, she was contacted by a member of the team who booked her onto a seminar.

The method she undertook focuses on the mental element of the addiction and looks to change a person’s mindset to addiction.

It is just one of a range of stop smoking options that was on offer to Angela by the council’s local stop smoking service.

“It made me realise that smoking was controlling me, my life. While people think smoking can help with stress, it was in fact the total opposite, I was more stressed thinking about when I could have my next cigarette. It was as though I’d been brainwashed into thinking I needed a cigarette.

“Once I managed to change my mindset, and break out of the habit, it was easy. There’s been no cravings or anything. It’s just been crazily easy.”

Since quitting last September, Angela is already reaping the benefits, feeling fitter than ever before, and enjoying more freedom. She even noticed that she’s become more productive at work.

“I get much more done in my work day now. I'm being more productive rather than ducking out for a cigarette every half an hour. I was the only smoker in my  team and I probably lost quite a lot of hours, to be honest.

“I feel amazing too. The healthiest I’ve been in a long time.

“I climbed Snowdon for the first time this year. I work with young people, and they climb it every year. I’d avoided it until this year as I thought I’d be huffing and puffing at the back. But this year it was my goal to finally climb the mountain.”

For those thinking of quitting, Angela has this to say: “It’s worth doing, if you want to do it. Don't worry if you'll fail. Normally I would have felt so embarrassed but the support team during the pilot was amazing and just encouraged me to try do it again.”

Councillor Kate Gregory, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Inequalities, said: “Angela’s lovely story is just one of many that highlight the difference that quitting smoking can make not just on personal health, but on your day to day life.

“It’s great we were able to offer the pilot here in Oxfordshire. By reframing smoking, it empowers individuals to reclaim control, proving that the journey to quitting is as much about self-discovery as it is about breaking a habit.

“There’s so much to gain from quitting smoking. It’s clear that for Angela, climbing Snowdon wasn’t just a physical achievement, it was a symbol of newfound freedom and possibility that quitting unlocked.

“Her experience shows that with the right mindset, support and guidance, what once seemed daunting can become not only achievable, but surprisingly simple. I am so pleased for Angela, and I hope her story inspires others to quit.

“Stopping smoking with support means you are more likely to quit for good. There are plenty of other ways our stop smoking service can help you – free of charge.”

Oxfordshire County Council commissioned a two phase pilot of ACE and is currently evaluating the outcome of the programme. 

The council’s free stop smoking service, Smoke Free Oxon also provides a range of support services to help residents quit, including aids, coaching and more. Find out more by visiting Smoke Free Oxon’s website, by calling 0800 772 3673, or text QUITOXON to 66777.

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A former Oxford business owner has been fined for illegal tobacco and nicotine product offences following an investigation by Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team. 

The case, relating to a seizure from Khalifa Super Store of 120 Cowley Road, was heard at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Friday 27 June.

Marewan Salh, 51, of Derby, the former owner and director of Khalifa Super Store Ltd, pleaded guilty to six offences and was ordered to pay a £1,000 fine, victim surcharge of £400, and a contribution towards costs of £600. 

The court heard that trading standards officers inspected the premises on 1 May 2024, seizing 160 cigarettes, 35 packs of shisha tobacco, 865 vapes and 122 unit packs of nicotine pouches. Mr Salh was not present at the time. 

The vapes and shisha were discovered by a detection dog in concealments sealed shut by electromagnets and forced open by officers.

Most of the nicotine pouches did not have English labelling, while the tobacco products were smuggled and the vapes contained nicotine liquid of up to nine times the maximum 2ml capacity allowed.

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety said: “The detection dogs are highly trained and will not only sniff out tobacco but can also find vapes and cash too. Their expertise makes short work of even the most sophisticated of concealments.

“Thank you to the team for all their work in bringing this case to court. It shows that Oxfordshire’s trading standards team, working in partnership with other agencies, will continue to crack down on the sale of all these illegal products.”

The company, Khalifa Super Store Ltd, was also charged with six offences but this matter was adjourned as the new owner is currently abroad.

Jody Kerman, Oxfordshire County Council’s Head of Trading Standards, added: “My team is committed to removing these illicit items from the High Street and creating a level playing field so that legitimate businesses can succeed.

“The use of sophisticated concealments, which can be difficult to detect, shows the lengths that criminals will go to. We will simply not tolerate this activity in Oxfordshire.”

Anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco and related items should contact 0300 999 6 999 to report it anonymously.

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Here in Oxfordshire, we’ve been watching the rise of popularity of nicotine pouches closely and with growing concern. As a result, we are already expanding our work on tackling the supply and perception of illegal tobacco and vapes to cover protecting our residents from non-compliant nicotine pouches and other similar products.

So far, much of the work by councils have been focused on illegal cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco. Oxfordshire County Council has been keen to go further and seek to prevent the sale of non-compliant nicotine pouches as well.

Unlike similar tobacco pouches, commonly known as snus, nicotine pouches are a legal product. However, both on the high street and online, we are seeing a significant growth in illegal versions being sold locally and nationally – with incorrect labelling and product claims, and a lack of important safety information.

With limited regulatory controls covering these products, including no legal age restriction, they are often packaged in a child appealing way, referring to attractive features such as a range of flavours.

It is suspected that much of the growth in interest in these products, comes from social media ‘advertising’ and from influencers of young people.

A recent study commissioned by the Professional Footballers Association found that almost one in five male professional footballers are regularly using nicotine pouches and nearly half would like to quit.

In 2020, 34 percent of British adults had heard of them. By 2022 awareness had increased to 44 percent. The proportion of adults who had ever tried nicotine pouches was also significantly higher in 2022 (3.9 per cent) than in 2020 (2.7 per cent).

Nicotine pouches are also now being commonly sold in youth-centric settings like music festivals and, unsurprisingly, the use is increasing most among the younger demographic.

Tobacco-free nicotine pouches are a legal product, whereas tobacco pouches have been prohibited in the UK and most of Europe for many years. But some other  smokeless tobacco products such as gutka or paan masala are legal and are popular within Asian communities in the UK.

However, smokeless tobacco products (including snus) are often substantially cheaper than cigarettes, so prove an attractive alternative – regardless of their legal status.

Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards team have been aware of this and are already taking significant action to tackle the sale of illegal products and, crucially, non-compliant tobacco-free nicotine pouches.

As part of the ongoing work of seizing illegal disposal vapes and other tobacco products, the team have expanded their work to include nicotine pouches.

Our work in this area is in its infancy, compared to illegal tobacco and vapes, but we have already seized 564-unit packs so far and that will undoubtedly rise as we continue to develop a better understanding of nicotine pouches, how and where they are sold, distribution chains and points of importation - and as the product becomes more popular.

The nicotine pouches we are seizing are non-compliant because they are often not labelled in English or do not comply with important safety labelling requirements. 

Samples sent for testing have also shown erratic nicotine contents of pouches from the same unit pack and nicotine claims on the packaging that are wildly different from their actual content – prompting concerns around a lack of quality control and responsibility by producers.

These non-compliant products often have far greater nicotine content, and the concern is that, given these products are not currently age-restricted, a child may be able to purchase them, not be able to follow the instructions for use because they are not in English or are just missing entirely and potentially ingest large amounts of nicotine.

Many of the non-compliant products seized have been alongside illegal tobacco and other nicotine products, with sellers attempting to avoid detection via elaborate ‘hides’ and hidden storage locations.

Although in most cases we would look to work with retailers around non-compliant products, providing advice and removing items from sale, due to the seriousness of this situation, we already have two criminal investigations underway that involve the sale of nicotine pouches – in these cases they have been seized alongside illegal tobacco, shisha and vapes.

Like vapes, it’s evident that nicotine pouches are becoming more popular in the UK, particularly with the younger demographic. So, it’s our duty to make sure that the products being sold adhere to current legal standards and it is for lawmakers to consider what new regulations and legal powers might be necessary.

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In Oxfordshire, more than 1,000 people quit each year with the support of Oxfordshire County Council’s stop smoking service, Stop for Life Oxon.

Councillor Dr Nathan Ley, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Community Safety, said: “Stoptober is the perfect time to make a go of giving up cigarettes. No matter how long you’ve been smoking for, quitting is well worth it!

“Giving up smoking not only greatly benefits your physical health by making you feel fitter and reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer, but it can also improve your mental wellbeing and save you money.

“We understand the challenges people face in their journey to give up smoking. That’s why there are tools and aids to support everyone in their journey to a smoke free life. Our Stop for Life Oxon service provides free support, which is proven to help people who want to quit smoking in Oxfordshire.”

Over 60,000 adults in Oxfordshire and over five million adults in England still smoke. Smoking causes 64,000 deaths a year, making it the biggest cause of preventable illness and death.

Research shows that people who smoke and give up for a whole month are up to five times more likely to stay smoke free for good.

The benefits of quitting start almost immediately including improved stress levels, feeling fitter and better taste and smell. In the long-term, quitting smoking can help someone to live longer, reduce their risk of disease and breathing problems, and save on average of £365 a month.

Nicotine replacement included vapes are available to help individuals through Stop for Life Oxon.

Find out what support is available by visiting Stop for Life Oxon’s website, freephone 0800 122 3790 or texting STOPOXON to 6077.

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South Oxfordshire based Sarah, who is in her sixties, kicked her 60 a day habit two decades ago but is still reaping the benefits of making the change today. Now she is encouraging other local people to ditch the addiction with the help of Oxfordshire County Council.

Like so many, Sarah started smoking in her teens along with her friends, at a time when it was seen as fashionable.

“I was very much into the pub and club scene when growing up and smoking went hand in hand with drinking and dancing, and there were no bans in public places as there are now, so it was easy to get hooked,” she explained.

Although it was initially the desire to be fitter that motivated her to cut down, it wasn’t until a visit to her dentist in her forties that she realised the full extent of damage smoking had done.

Sarah said: “Ironically, I was also very much into my fitness at that time and regularly attended aerobic classes and gym sessions. I was starting to get a bit wheezy while using some of the cardiac equipment and thought it would be helpful if I cut down. 

“But the main reason I quit was because I lost most of my top teeth due to gum disease. My dentist told me this was because I was starving my mouth of oxygen and smoking was a key factor in this. My teeth were literally falling out one by one when I would just bite on something even as soft as a roll or a piece of cheese.”

Eventually she lost all her top teeth, and after some failed attempts with dentures, she decided to take the plunge and invest in dental implants to regain her smile.

“My dental surgeon told me categorically she would not carry out the operation unless I gave up smoking completely because my mouth needed to be as clean as possible to ensure success. The surgery was very expensive (I had to take out a loan to cover the cost) and so I made sure I never smoked cigarettes again.” 

Quitting smoking not only gave her back her smile, but she noticed a big difference in other ways too.

Sarah explained: “I am now a fairly healthy weight and am very active. I attend a gym two to three times a week and go hiking regularly with friends and with local rambler groups, walking between 20 to 30 miles a week. I’m pretty sure I would have been unable to do that if I had carried on smoking 60 cigarettes a day!

“I felt free of an addiction once I had given up nicotine completely and my clothes and house no longer smelt disgusting. I now absolutely detest the smell of smoking.”

Sarah admits going cold turkey was almost impossible so used multiple therapies to aid her in quitting for good, including patches, gum and lozenges, and recommends Oxfordshire County Council’s Stop for Life Oxon support services for anybody who would like to quit themselves.

“I would definitely have used the local Oxfordshire services had they been available to me, because at the time I was trying to quit, half of my friends were still smoking, and that type of external support would have been invaluable. So I would urge anyone trying to quit to seek help of that kind.”

Free support is available to all smokers in Oxfordshire and can include one to one coaching, a free rechargeable vape kit and or nicotine replacement therapy for up to 12 weeks.

Oxfordshire County Council’s stop smoking service, Stop for Life Oxon, has already helped thousands of people across Oxfordshire quit smoking using tools like vapes and other nicotine replacement therapies.

Ansaf Azhar, Oxfordshire County Council’s Director for Public Health, said: “Oral health is just one thing that can be massively impacted by smoking. People that smoke are at a higher risk of gum disease, staining, tooth loss – like Sarah suffered – and mouth cancer.

“We know how daunting it can be for people to give up smoking. So that’s why there are tools and aids to support everyone in their journey to a smoke free life. Our Stop for Life Oxon service provides free support, which is proven to help people who want to quit smoking in Oxfordshire.”

Residents can find out more about the support on offer to help quit smoking for good by visiting the Stop for Life Oxon website, or phoning 0800 122 3790.

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A warning has been issued by Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team about the dangers of illegal disposable vapes after total seizures across the county reached 10,000.

This reflects a national trend amid safety concerns and a proposed ban on disposable vapes announced by government in January. Figures from the Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) charity suggest 7.6 per cent of 11 to 17 year olds now vape regularly or occasionally, up from 4.1 per cent in 2020.

Councillor Dr Nathan Ley, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Community Safety, said: “Rechargeable vapes are a proven tool for adult smokers to help with quitting smoking and are almost twice as effective as other forms of nicotine replacement therapy. However, they should not be used by children or non-smokers as nicotine is highly addictive, with withdrawal sometimes causing anxiety, trouble concentrating and headaches. This is alongside other unknown long-term effects on health.”

How to spot an illegal vape?

Check the packaging for the following tell-tale signs that a disposable vape may be illegal:

• A nicotine content above 2 per cent (or 20mg/ml)
• The capacity above 2ml
• A puff count above 1,200
• No UK address for an importer/manufacturer
• A health warning that doesn’t include the exact wording “This product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance”

Jody Kerman, Oxfordshire County Council’s Head of Trading Standards, said: "We have recently seen a very concerning but unfortunately predictable development where reasonably sophisticated concealments, secured by electromagnet, have been used in an attempt to evade detection. This is clear evidence that illegal vapes are now being deliberately sold by organised crime groups”.

“Whilst the Tobacco and Vapes Bill is very welcome, this is clearly going to be a significant problem for many years to come”.

More information

Anyone concerned about the sale of illegal vapes in Oxfordshire can report it anonymously using the Illegal tobacco and vape hotline on 0300 999 6 999 or visit stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk

Any business considering purchasing disposable vapes for retail sale can refer to Oxfordshire County Council’s online guidance.

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The council is trialling the innovative, drug-free Allen Carr’s Easyway (ACE) method as part of ambitions to make the county smoke free.

Councillor Dr Nathan Ley, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Community Safety, said: “Our smoke free ambitions are a real priority for the council, and this pilot will be complementing our current smoking cessation offer from Stop for Life Oxon.

“If we can achieve our aims, we’ll have helped to improve the health and wellbeing of Oxfordshire residents, while also reducing pressure and costs on social care and the NHS. 

“This pilot is an exciting opportunity to provide an innovative and clinically proven intervention programme to the residents of Oxfordshire.”

“I’d urge smokers living in Oxfordshire, who are interested, to book a slot on the programme and give it a go.”

The treatment is quick, usually taking five hours through live group seminars. Shorter backup sessions, telephone support and email support are provided for those who require them. It can also be accessed easily using smartphones, tablets or laptops.

ACE is a form of cognitive behavioural therapy endorsed by NICE and the World Health Organisation (WHO). 

Published studies have shown that ACE can help smokers kick the habit long-term and has already helped an estimated 50 million people quit smoking over the last 40 years. The evidence base supporting the method is compelling.

Smoking remains the biggest cause of ill-health and death in the UK and increases the risk of developing serious health conditions. Smoking is also a major contributing factor to health inequalities.

To find out more about ACE, including how to book a slot, visit the Easyway website.

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As part of a brand-new national initiative, it is now offering free one-to-one personalised support including the provision of free rechargeable vapes. Those looking to quit smoking can now choose to join the 30-day challenge and get a free vape starter kit alongside help from a coach.

The stop smoking service, Stop for Life Oxon, has already helped thousands of people across Oxfordshire quit smoking using tools like vapes and other nicotine replacement therapies. With the free support, people are three times more likely to quit smoking.

Councillor Dr Nathan Ley, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Community Safety, said: “Cigarettes are one of the most harmful products on the market – killing up to two of every three lifelong smokers. For a 20-a-day smoker, it costs on average £384 per month and over £4600 per year.

“However, the positive impact of stopping smoking is immediate – with lung function and circulation improving in a few weeks, the risk of a heart attack drastically falling within one year, and the risk of cancer reducing in subsequent years, compared with someone who continued smoking. You can also experience better taste and smell, less stress, and protect your loved ones and your pets from the dangers of second-hand smoke.

“Rechargeable vapes are a great tool for adults to help with quitting smoking. They are almost twice as effective as other forms of nicotine replacement therapy, and I personally know people have managed to quit this way. Stop for Life Oxon can support you to access a free kit to help you on your journey to quitting your smoking habit for good.”

 Help us and be in with the chance of winning £50

 Ex-smokers and those who have decided to switch cigarettes for a vape are also being encouraged to share their story and be in with a chance of winning £50.

A new questionnaire is asking those who have given up cigarettes in the county to share their stories to inspire others to quit. Just one positive story or a short conversation could be the motivation that somebody needs. Those who take part in the survey could stand to win one of five prizes of £50.

Councillor Ley continued: “We also want people to help us inspire other Oxfordshire residents by telling us how and why they quit. Why did you quit? Was it to improve your health or finances, or perhaps for a family or a loved one? Had you been through a cycle of quitting and starting again – how did you succeed? Did anyone support you?”

“We are really keen to hear about people’s experiences of quitting smoking cigarettes and would love to share these with other people to motivate them.”

The questionnaire will be open for 30 days, running alongside a campaign to encourage current smokers to try the 30-day challenge and will be closing on 10 April.

To get involved and find out more about the survey, visit Oxfordshire County Council’s Let’s Talk Oxfordshire platform.

Find out more about the support on offer to help Oxfordshire residents quit smoking for good by visiting the Stop for Life Oxon website, the Best You mobile app, or phoning 0800 122 3790.

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Since its launch, the Stoptober campaign held during October has helped over 2.5 million people across England to quit smoking. In Oxfordshire, more than 1,000 people quit each year with the support of the stop smoking service.

The benefits of quitting start almost immediately, and research shows that smokers who give up for a whole month are up to five times more likely to stay smoke free for good.

Just two days after quitting, sense of taste and smell will start to improve, at three months the amount air that lungs can hold has increased and by a year the risk of a heart attack will have halved.

Ansaf Azhar, Oxfordshire County Council’s Director for Public Health, said: “When you stop smoking good things start to happen. Beating the addiction brings huge improvement to mental and physical wellbeing, as well as financial benefits. It is estimated that giving up a ten a day habit could save around £2,000 a year. 

“We want to make Oxfordshire smoke free as part of our wider tobacco control strategy and inspire the county’s first smoke free generation.

“We know how daunting it can be for people to give up smoking. That’s why there are tools and aids to support everyone in their journey to a smoke free life. Our Stop for Life Oxon service provides free support, which is proven to help people who want to quit smoking in Oxfordshire.”

Nicotine replacement therapy and e-cigarettes are available to help individuals through Stop for Life Oxon.

Find out what support is available to quit for good by visiting Stop for Life Oxon’s website, freephone 0800 122 3790 or texting STOPOXON to 6077.

Discover more about Oxfordshire’s tobacco control strategy and how to make a difference by visiting Oxfordshire County Council’s website.

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Mr Nevilkumar Mody, 35, a director of Haridisharn Ltd, trading as Bicester Local and Post Office in Sheep Street, Bicester, pleaded guilty and was convicted of a single offence at Oxford Magistrates Court on Monday 25 September 2023.

He was fined £400 and made to pay £160 in victim surcharge. Full costs of £2,037 were awarded to Oxfordshire County Council, which brought the prosecution.

The business sold the peach ice flavour disposable e-cigarette, sometimes known as a puff bar or vape pen, to a 15 year old test purchaser in January 2023, despite the legal age limit for the sale of e-cigarettes being 18 and over.

As well as being a director of the company and being responsible for training the shop’s staff on legal compliance with age restricted products, Mr Mody actually made the sale, himself and did not ask the test purchaser anything about their age or ask for any identification which would have shown their age.

The shop was one of several visited as part of a test purchasing operation based on information from complaints by local residents, a local councillor and the local policing team.

Councillor Kate Gregory, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Services and Safety, said: “E-cigarettes are one of the most effective methods of supporting someone to quit smoking. However, while e-cigarettes pose only a small fraction of the risk of traditional cigarettes, they are not risk-free products and we do not encourage young people who have never smoked before to begin using them.

“The trading standards teams will continue to make test purchases of this kind, to ensure that adequate precautions are being taken by retailers to prevent the sale of such products to children.”

Jody Kerman, Oxfordshire County Council’s Head of Trading Standards, said: “Many Oxfordshire retailers work very hard to train their staff and implement systems to prevent the sale of such items to children. The rising popularity of disposable e-cigarettes amongst teenagers makes appropriate age verification checks absolutely essential.

“Those who don’t follow the rules not only put children at risk but also gain an unfair advantage over their competitors. We will continue to respond to community concerns in this area, prioritising the health and wellbeing of residents and helping to create a level playing field for businesses to operate within.”

Further information for retailers on how to sell e-cigarettes responsibly, including details and photos of illegal products to avoid, can be found on Oxfordshire County Council’s website.

Anyone with information about the sale of illegal, disposable e-cigarettes or underage sales can report to trading standards via the national consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133.

More information

The sale of any kind of e-cigarette (disposable or not) to a person under the age of 18 is prohibited under Regulation 3 of The Nicotine Inhaling Products (Age of Sale and Proxy Purchasing) Regulations 2015 and an offence under section 92 (1) of The Children and Families Act 2014.

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Michael Addison pleaded guilty to twelve charges at an earlier hearing, where he admitted to possessing fake and smuggled cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco in the course of business and money laundering. Brands included Richmond and Lambert and Butler cigarettes and Golden Virginia hand rolling tobacco.

Today, Monday 18 September, he returned to Oxford Crown Court for sentencing. He is also required to complete 300 hours of unpaid work and 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days. 

In a basis of plea, he accepted ‘converting criminal property’ by funnelling a sum of more than £155,000 through two Lloyds bank accounts in his name. 

The court heard that Addison was caught at Kidlington market in a joint operation led by Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team, the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU) and Thames Valley Police, in January 2022.

But rather than curtail his criminal activities, the Cheltenham resident, aged 63, was caught again in February 2023 after his vehicle was stopped by police in Kidlington.

Jody Kerman, Oxfordshire County Council’s Head of Trading Standards, said: “This was an example of partnership working at its best. Thanks to the help given by SEROCU and Thames Valley Police, we have been able to catch an offender targeting Oxfordshire, who otherwise may never have stopped.”

Councillor Kate Gregory, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Services and Safety, said: “While there is no safe level of smoking, there is also no way of knowing what is contained in unregulated and counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco products, which could put your health at increased risk.

“That is why our trading standards team will continue to pursue those responsible and bring them to justice.”

Confiscation proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act will continue at a future hearing.

Anyone with information about the illegal sale of any tobacco products should contact 0300 999 6 999 or report it anonymously through the website: stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk.

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Research has found that children are four times more likely to start smoking if their parents smoke. A recent survey found that 90 per cent of local Oxfordshire smokers agreed with the idea of creating smokefree parks to help change people’s behaviour regarding smoking around children and reduce the chance of them taking it up later in life.

Councillor Michael O’Connor, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Equalities, said: “Our ambition is for Oxfordshire to be a smokefree county, which means less than five per cent of the population smoke. One of the main pillars of our tobacco control strategy, which will help us to achieve this aim, is creating smokefree environments.

“As well as helping to ‘de-normalise’ smoking around children, creating these smokefree environments will help to reduce the risk of exposure to second-hand smoke.

“Town and parish councils are well placed to support us in promoting smokefree environments in our local communities. That is why we are delighted to be able to work with Witney Town Council on this project.”

The signage has been funded by Oxfordshire County Council’s Smokefree Community Fund, a fund in which voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations can apply for up to £1,000 to create smokefree spaces or hold a smokefree event.  

Witney Town Council hosted a competition for the designs on the signage for local children and had multiple entries. Winners were decided and the drawings were used for the main image on the signs. The signs will be placed at 10 playparks in Witney.

Councillor, Dr Ruth Smith, Leader of Witney Town Council said: "We were delighted with the winning designs – the children really grasped the message. Congratulations Ivy, Harry, Scarlett, Tommy, Rosie and Theodore.

"As vaping increases in popularity, we agree that the time is right to remind everyone that smoking and vaping where people are trying to enjoy the outdoors is not on. We hope this is a healthy message and a healthy measure for children."

Oxfordshire residents can receive free support to stop smoking using the local stop smoking service, Stop for Life Oxon. More information can be found by visiting Stop for Life Oxon’s website, by calling 0800 122 3790 or texting STOPOXON to 60777.

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Statistics show that there is a higher prevalence of smokers among people with mental health difficulties. That is why Oxfordshire County Council and partners are joining forces to support residents who smoke to stop this October.

Councillor Mark Lygo, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Equalities said: “This year, we want to dispel some of the myths around mental wellbeing and smoking and help people quit for good.

“Often people will take up smoking in the first place, or be discouraged to quit, based on the myth that smoking can help to relieve stress and relieve mental health difficulties. However, nicotine is a physically addictive substance, so often that relief is simply a result of giving your body more of it – a ‘fix’.

“Once somebody can beat that addiction, most will find that their mental wellbeing improves significantly knowing they are no longer dependent on cigarettes – not to mention the financial and physical health benefits that come along with it.

“We know it can be daunting for individuals with mental health struggles to give quitting a go but there is plenty of support out there to help overcome the barriers, regardless of your situation.”

Rose Hombo, Deputy Director of Quality at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Smoking is a cause of poor mental health across the whole population. Indirectly, through its impact on physical health, income, and employment, and directly, by increasing the risk of some mental health conditions (such as depression and schizophrenia) and through the creation of addiction, which inhibits people’s mental wellbeing. 

“In this month of Stoptober, we are putting up a series of meaningful and practical activities to help you as a smoker to start your journey to quit for good. There are lots of benefits to stop smoking and yours can start immediately. There will be a series of activities within all our NHS trust sites – all free to access.”

Nicotine replacement therapy and e-cigarettes are available to help individuals through Stop for Life Oxon, Oxfordshire County Council’s local stop smoking service.

Find out what support is available to quit for good by visiting Stop for Life Oxon’s website, freephone 0800 122 3790 or texting STOPOXON to 6077.

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 Just over one in ten people in Oxfordshire light up regularly. On top of this, the latest figures also show that over 28,000 children live in households with adults who smoke.

 Smoking in the home not only damages the health of children  but it can also increase their chance of becoming smokers four-fold. An estimated 885 children aged 11 to 15 years old take up the habit in Oxfordshire every year.

 Councillor Mark Lygo, Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Public Health, said: “No Smoking Day is a chance for people to reflect on how they can make a positive change to their health, and the health of those around them.

 "Around two thirds of smokers started as children, and young people are four times more likely to light up if they live with a smoker – children copy what they see. That is why, as a council, we are supporting initiatives such Smokefree Sidelines and providing free support to people who may be thinking about giving up."

 Oxfordshire Smokefree Sidelines is a partnership between the Oxfordshire Football Association, Oxfordshire County Council and county's four local youth football leagues.

 The collaboration aims to help to create healthy, safe places that provide everyone with the opportunity to enjoy their chosen sport or activity in a smoke free environment.

 Clubs involved in the project are supported to help adults be role models for children and young people by not smoking while watching training or matches.

 Michael Thurlow, Football Development Manager at Oxfordshire Football Association, said: “We are proud to have teamed up with Oxfordshire County Council and youth leagues in the county over the past 18 months to roll-out the Smokefree Sidelines initiative across Oxfordshire.

 “We are delighted to have 52 youth clubs pledging their support to improving the playing environment for over 5,000 young players in the county. We want to encourage all grassroots youth clubs across Oxfordshire to sign up and pledge to become smoke free.”

 Derys Pragnell, Consultant Public Health at  Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Smoking remains the biggest cause of preventable illness and avoidable death. We know it can be really difficult to stop smoking and want to protect children from harm by helping prevent them from starting to smoke.  We also want to help people who are smoking to quit. Evidence suggests that people who access stop smoking support are three times more likely to quit than those that go it alone."

Residents can find out more about the free and effective support available to help them quit smoking on Oxfordshire County Council’s website.

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In the past ten years, Oxfordshire County Council’s free local stop smoking service has helped over 26,000 people make the change. The service gives people top tips on how to manage cravings and tricks to stay smokefree.

Around one in ten adults in Oxfordshire smoke. It is estimated that giving up a ten-a-day habit could save on average £36 a week, or £1,800 a year.

Councillor Mark Lygo, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, said: “Stoptober is a great time to start something new and make a go of giving up cigarettes for good. It’s never too late to try. In just a few days you could really start to see a difference from feeling fitter, to saving those pennies. Within just a year your risk of heart attacks halves and in five to 10 years the risks of strokes and cancers plummet.

“Some people who successfully quit have been able to do it alone, which is great, but for many others having additional support can make all the difference. That is where our Stop for Life service can help. There is a wealth of support and advice available for anybody who might be thinking about quitting. Give it a go!”

Rebecca aged 38 from Banbury approached Stop for Life Oxon after many attempts to quit smoking had failed in the past. With one-to-one support from coach Sara, Rebecca now feels so much better, fitter, and richer.

Rebecca said: “Without the support I received from Sara I would never have got to the stage I’m at. I feel so much better in myself and I am relieved to no longer be a smoker. If I was to give advice to anyone looking to quit the habit, I would say to just do it.

“The support is brilliant especially when you lack the self-belief that you can do it. I have a new future ahead of me as a non-smoker and I can’t thank Stop for Life enough for helping me get back to my best.”

For those ready to quit, there are known techniques which will increase the chances of stopping for good. Residents can find out more by contacting the local stop smoking service Stop for Life Oxon by texting STOPOXFORD to 60777. More information about how to quit smoking is also available on the NHS website.

Oxfordshire County Council is also continuing it’s partnership with The Oxfordshire FA and and grassroots football clubs to raise awareness of the impact of smoking through the Oxfordshire ‘Smokefree Sidelines’ initiative.

More than 40 clubs have already joined the campaign, which seeks to encourage football clubs to go smoke free, stop smoking on the sidelines and change how young people view smoking. Find out about how to get involved in the campaign by going to The Oxfordshire FA’s website.

Oxfordshire’s tobacco control alliance has set out ambitious plans to see the county become smokefree by 2025. Find out more about Oxfordshire’s tobacco control strategy, and how to make a difference by visiting Oxfordshire County Council’s website.

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Stop for Life Oxon launches in Oxfordshire from 1^st April 2021. Commissioned by Oxfordshire County Council, and operated by ICE Creates Ltd it has increased the range of support options to those people who are ready to quit and provides specialist stop smoking support and advice to increase people’s chances of quitting.

The service is driven to achieve the priority outcomes for tobacco as agreed by the Oxfordshire Tobacco Control Strategy 2020-25: reducing smoking amongst adults, cutting the number of pregnant women who smoke and reducing the prevalence of smoking in workplaces where smoking rates are high.

Oxfordshire residents will be able to use a range of tools and support to help them stop smoking, including an app ‘Best-You’. A free and confidential service, Stop for Life Oxon recognises that different types of support work for different people and the service provides three levels of support for clients who are triaged by the expert team.

Dr Adam Briggs, Consultant in Public Health at Oxfordshire County Council, said; “In Oxfordshire we are committed to tackling the health inequalities that exist within the county through smoking. Working towards a smokefree Oxfordshire is a priority in our recently launched Tobacco Control Strategy ‘The Final Push’ and the Stop for Life Oxon service is one of the key tools to achieving this”."Giving up smoking is the single most important change people can make for their long-term health. Stopping smoking with expert help increases the chances of success three-fold and we’re pleased to be able to continue to offer this free specialist service to Oxfordshire residents.”

Adapting to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the service combines telephone, text, What’s App and video online support for residents until restrictions ease and face to face support will resume in the community.Oxfordshire residents who want to quit smoking can get in contact with the service by:

• Visit: www.stopforlifeoxon.org
• Email: info@stopforlife.co.uk
• Call: 0800 122 3790

Oxfordshire County Council is supporting Action on Smoking and Public Health England’s No Smoking Day, to help those who want to give up smoking, celebrating the benefits of giving up for good.

Around 12 per cent of Oxfordshire’s population are smokers – that’s just over one in ten, or 65,455 people.

Dr Adam Briggs, Oxfordshire County Council’s Consultant in Public Health, said: “The last year has been hugely difficult. All of us have less control over our lives than we’d like at the moment, but people who smoke can take some positive action on No Smoking Day. There is so much to gain from stopping smoking – mentally, physically and financially, and the pandemic has shown that there has never been a better to time to go smoke free.

“Just two days after quitting, your sense of taste and smell starts to improve; at three months the amount air that your lungs can hold will have increased; and by a year the risk of a heart attack will have halved! And if you currently smoke around six cigarettes a day, stopping will allow you to save over £1,000.

“Giving up doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. Getting the right help and support can stop you feeling like you need a cigarette and take the pressure out of quitting.

“One route could be to try nicotine replacement therapy, such as nicotine patches. These are currently free in some pharmacies in the county until 31 March. This can help manage your cravings and increase your chance of quitting. Advice is also available from the Oxfordshire Stop Smoking Service, which can further increase your chance of stopping for good.”

Oxfordshire is aiming to be a ‘smokefree county’ – meaning at least 95 per cent of the population doesn’t smoke – by 2025. Creating a smokefree community not only benefits people no longer smoking but also decreases the chance of children taking up the habit in the first place – two out of three people who smoke started when they were children.

Find out more about the support available to give up smoking on the county council’s website.

More information

• Nicotine replacement therapy, Varenicline and Bupropion have all been shown to improve a smokers’ chance of successfully quitting by reducing the extent to which smokers experience withdrawal.
• In 2014, a meta-analysis found that stopping smoking is associated with improvements in mental health such as reduced depression and anxiety when compared to continuing to smoke. Find out more on the British Medical Journal’s website.

There has never been a better time to take the step and give up cigarettes – for the sake of people’s health and wallet.

The benefits of quitting start almost immediately, and research shows that smokers who give up for a whole month are up to five times more likely to stay smoke-free for good.

Successful attempts are also four times more likely with the help of a stop smoking service – and Oxfordshire County Council has once again joined forces with SmokeFreeLife Oxfordshire to provide those that want to quit with the support they need in the form of virtual clinics, and online and telephone support.

Just two days after quitting, sense of taste and smell will start to improve, at three months the amount air that lungs can hold has increased, and by a year the risk of a heart attack will have halved.

A 20-a-day smoker can save over £300 a month by not buying cigarettes!

Lorraine, a mother of four from Oxford, has recently completed a 12-week course and has manged to quit smoking.

She said: “I was smoking 20 a day and I'm so happy as I have managed to save over £700 pounds.

“I will use this to take my kids on holiday once we can, this is all down to your amazing advisors and the support they have given me over the last few months. Thank you so much.”

Oxfordshire County Council Consultant in Public Health, Adam Briggs said: “Ahead of winter and flu season, there’s never been a better time to try to give up smoking. Covid-19 has shone an even greater light on the health risks that come with smoking at all ages.

“If you only make one attempt to quit this year, make it this Stoptober.”

Dr Timothy SC Hinks, Wellcome Trust Career Development Fellow and Honorary Consultant at Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford said: “The great news is that many thousands of people manage to quit smoking each year, and it is never too late to quit. Quitting smoking is also the best way to protect your children and grandchildren, by halving their risk of developing serious respiratory diseases like asthma that I treat in my daily work.”

He continued: “Many people think they’d never manage to quit, but there’s lots of support people can get from their local smoking cessation teams, like Here for Health at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust and SmokeFreeLife Oxfordshire in the wider Oxfordshire community. Getting help from a team greatly increases the chance you’ll be able to quit, and I find people then never look back. For anyone considering quitting I’d encourage them to contact Here for Health or SmokefreeLife Oxfordshire”.

Oxfordshire Smokefree Sidelines is a partnership between the Oxfordshire Football Association, Berks and Bucks Football Association, Active Oxfordshire, Oxfordshire County Council and counties’ four local youth football leagues.

The new collaboration will be looking to help to create healthy, safe places that provide everyone the opportunity to enjoy their chosen sport or activity in a smoke-free environment.

Clubs taking part will be supported to help adults be a role model for children and young people by not smoking whilst watching training or matches - seven out of ten smokers start before they are 18 years old.

One of the organisations getting involved in the campaign to stop spectators smoking on the sidelines is Bloxham Football Club, based near Banbury.

The club, which runs 18 teams – ranging from under-sixes to veterans – has put up signs around its pitches telling parents and spectators that anyone lighting up a cigarette will be asked to put it out. If they refuse, the game will be stopped until they comply.

Bloxham FC’s Welfare Officer, Vikki Evans, said: “We know that children copy what they see, and we feel that adults need to be responsible around children – not setting a bad example.

“Although Oxfordshire FA has said we don’t need to approach people at games who are smoking, our committee has agreed this is such a serious issue that we will ask supporters to stop if necessary and if they fail to do that, we will stop the match they’re watching. I don’t think this is a big ask.”

Dr Adam Briggs, Consultant in Public Health at Oxfordshire County Council said: “We are proud to be supporting Smokefree Sidelines. As part of our ambition for Oxfordshire to be smoke free by 2025, this initiative will help to create a healthy environment for children and young people to enjoy playing sport.”

Clubs who agree to adopt an Oxfordshire Smokefree Sidelines policy and participate will receive a range of support and benefits including a briefing session about the scheme, a pre-written policy to adopt, promotional material, and free resources for games and training sessions.

The programme is part of Oxfordshire’s Tobacco Control Strategy, which outlines a vision for being England’s first smoke-free county. We’re aiming for less than one in 20 adults to still be smoking by 2025 – five years sooner than aimed for in the Government's national Tobacco Control Plan for England.

Despite a decline in smoking rates in recent years, more than one in ten adults in Oxfordshire continue to smoke and nearly 900 children start smoking every year. Smoking remains England’s single greatest cause of preventable illness and avoidable death, resulting in 78,000 deaths from smoking-related diseases in 2016 alone.

Grass roots football can still go ahead under the new “rule of six” if the clubs are COVID-secure. The council encourages all spectators, besides not smoking on the sidelines, to ensure that they wash their hands and maintain appropriate social distancing. This will help keep the infection under control and get children back to playing the sport they love.

More information

For more information about Oxfordshire Smokefree Sidelines, please visit https://www.oxfordshirefa.com/leagues-and-clubs/smokefree-sidelines

The Strategy outlines a vision for Oxfordshire to be first smoke free county in five years’ time. This is defined when adult smoking rates reach 5% by 2025 – five years sooner than aimed for in the Government's national Tobacco Control Plan for England.

Tobacco control is an umbrella term often used to describe the broad range of activities that aim to reduce smoking prevalence and reduce exposure to second- hand smoke.

The strategy was developed by the Oxfordshire Tobacco Control Alliance (OTCA). This is a partnership that includes: County, District and City Councils, Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and Oxford University Hospital Foundation Trust who are all committed to denormalizing smoking.

The OTCA aims to achieve its vision through four key themes:

• Prevention
• Local Regulation and Enforcement
• Creating Smoke Free Environments
• Supporting Smokers to Quit

The Strategy is based on a consultation that took place from 11^th March to 11^th April 2020. 233 responses were submitted from residents of Oxfordshire, members of the public, those employed in Oxfordshire and also those in a professional capacity.

General feedback from the public consultation included:

• There was overall support (64%) for the Strategy’s main aim, of creating a smoke free Oxfordshire by 2025.
• There was overall support for the Strategy’s four key pillars
• The ‘Prevention’ pillar had the greatest amount of support, particularly with enforcing legislation which protects the health of young people, for example underage sales of cigarettes.

Cllr Andrew McHugh is the Lead Member for Health & Wellbeing: ‘I would like to thank people who took the time to provide their feedback and their opinions about this Strategy. As Chairman of the Oxfordshire Health Improvement Board, I recognise tobacco to be the most serious cause of preventable disease and early death. I am delighted to be working with our Alliance partners to support the Strategy. Together we are looking forward to a healthier Smoke Free Oxfordshire’.

The final version of the Strategy launches on 31^st May 2020 and it can be found on Oxfordshire County Councils public health webpages at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/publichealth

Despite a decline in smoking rates in recent years, 10.1% of adults in Oxfordshire continue to smoke. Smoking remains England’s single greatest cause of preventable illness and avoidable death, resulting in 78,000 deaths from smoking-related diseases in 2016 alone. It kills more people each year than obesity, alcohol, drug misuse, traffic accidents and HIV combined. It is also the cause of many preventable illnesses such as cancer, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, strokes and cardiovascular disease. 

In addition to its impact on health, smoking also brings a huge financial cost. Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) estimates the cost of smoking to Oxfordshire’s economy to be £121.7 million each year. Beyond the significant cost to the health and social care system, it also impacts the local economy through sick days and lost productivity. 

For local support to quit smoking go to: https://www.smokefreelifeoxfordshire.co.uk/

Anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco should contact: 0300 999 6 999, or report it anonymously via the website www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk

Please note: the photograph was taken on ‘No Smoking Day', 11 March 2020 when the consultation for the Tobacco Control Strategy was launched. This was before social distancing and lock down rules begun.

The consultation will launch on No Smoking Day – 11 March 2020. The key aim of the proposed Oxfordshire strategy is to reduce the prevalence of smoking in the adult population below 5% by 2025 and make Oxfordshire the first ‘smoke free’ county in England.

The definition of a smoke free county is determined by lowering the prevalence of smoking below 5% for the population. The ambitious strategy will aim to pave the way to a smoke free generation by 2025 which is five years ahead of the national ambition to be smoke free by 2030.

To put the plan in to action, Oxfordshire County Council is collaborating with other local authorities and the NHS to sign the Local Government Tobacco and the NHS Smokefree Pledge as a commitment to the reduction in use of tobacco.

The draft strategy will be delivered by an alliance of partners, which include Oxford University Hospitals, Oxford City Council, Oxford Health and other local councils: Oxfordshire County Council, Vale of the White Horse, Cherwell, West Oxfordshire and South Oxfordshire.

The proposed strategy is for the 90% of people who don’t smoke. There is also a plan to focus on people who are more likely to smoke than others including those from deprived areas and people with mental health conditions.

Oxfordshire County Council’s Director for Public Health, Ansaf Azhar, said: “We are committed to work as a collective of partners and this public statement is a positive milestone to continue conversations and implement plans that will help residents to live healthy lives. We want people in the county to voice their opinions about smoking and how it affects their public spaces and places so we can confidently make some changes that will benefit our health and the wellbeing of others”.

Hannah Iqbal, Director of Strategy and Partnerships at OUH, said: “Our Trust is pleased to be working with our partners to sign the NHS Smoke Free Pledge, and look forward to working with our staff, patients and partners to make a Smoke Free Oxfordshire a reality.”

The Alliance is asking members of the public and professionals to share their suggestions by the 11 April 2020 for ideas that will make a positive difference to support people on their stop smoking journey https://tinyurl.com/SmokefreeOxon202

The strategy will include four themes:

• Prevention – smoking still has an impact on many lives, whether we smoke or not and there is no safe level of tobacco smoke, especially for young people who are exposed to smoke and tend to start the habit from a young age. Children growing up in smoking households are 90% more likely to become smokers themselves. Over 500 babies a year are born in Oxfordshire with a mother who smokes during pregnancy. Babies whose parents smoke are five times more likely to die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
• Local Regulation and Enforcement - the county council’s Trading Standards service, HMRC and the Police work together to remove illicit and illegal tobacco from our communities. District Councils’ Environmental Health and Licencing teams enforce legislation to keep public spaces smoke free and ensure only responsible businesses operate.
• Creating smoke free environments – a smoke free Oxfordshire is not about enforcing smoking bans, but about creating smokefree places. For example, workplaces can benefit from a healthier workforce, by having policies which are supportive of people who wish to quit.
• Supporting smokers to quit - Around 60% of smokers do want to quit and research shows it can take many attempts to do so. Still 35% of smokers do it by will power alone, the least effective method. People who use local stop smoking services are three times more likely to be successful. This is really important to provide this evidenced based support for groups where smoking prevalence is high, for example those who live in poorer areas or those with a mental health condition.

Where local regulation and enforcement is concerned, head of Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service, Jody Kerman, said: “Good regulation and effective enforcement can help stop young people from taking up smoking, whilst also helping those who want to quit to do so. In addition, the trade in illegal tobacco brings crime into our neighbourhoods, helps fund further criminality and puts honest businesses at risk. That’s why we’re determined to clamp down on it.

“We’re exploring some innovative ways to dispose of the significant amount of illegal tobacco products we have seized in Oxfordshire, designed to maximise economic and environmental benefits for residents.

The annual cost of smoking to the UK national economy has been estimated at £13.7 billion. A smoker consuming a pack of twenty cigarettes a day will spend around £4,000 a year on their habit.

Residents in Oxfordshire spend approx. £73.7m a year on tobacco products and it is estimated that smoking in Oxfordshire each year costs society a total of approx. £121.7m in lost productivity, health and social care costs.

For more information to quit smoking – go to: https://www.smokefreelifeoxfordshire.co.uk/

Anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco should contact: 0300 999 6 999, or report it anonymously via the website www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk

Photo caption: a joint effort between Oxfordshire's councils and health organisations as they make a pledge to become the first 'smoke-free' county.

The 53-year-old has good reason to celebrate No Smoking Day today. Since giving up cigarettes he’s lost more than a stone in weight as well as saving hundreds of pounds in cash.

Duncan, from Oxford, gave up smoking almost overnight thanks to support from Smokefreelife Oxfordshire.

The stop smoking service is commissioned by Oxfordshire County Council’s Public Health team and run by healthcare provider Solutions 4 Health.

Public Health seeks to improve the health of local people and protect them from preventable health issues. It’s all part of the county council’s commitment to thriving communities – we help people live safe, healthy lives and play an active part in their community.

Smokefreelife Oxfordshire will be reaching out to more people like Duncan in Oxford city centre today. Specialist stop smoking advisors will be on hand to offer support and free Carbon Monoxide tests from their mobile clinic in Bonn Square between 10am and 4pm.

There are an estimated 57,695 adult smokers in Oxfordshire. Thanks to support from Smokefreelife Oxfordshire, more than 1,500 people quit smoking last year.

‘Seeing mum in a hospital bed made me want to give up’

Duncan approached Smokefreelife advisors on a visit to Templars Square shopping centre in Cowley.

He explained: “Eighteen months ago my mum was admitted to hospital and I saw her lying in bed with a ventilator on. She has lived with the lung condition Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease for the past 10 to 15 years.

“Fortunately she’s still with us today. But you can’t put into words how it felt seeing her lying there. That was the thing that made me want to give up.

“But even then I still found excuses not to. Eventually I spoke to people on the Smokefreelife stand and planned how I would stop.”

Duncan, who was diagnosed with COPD five years ago, had tried numerous times to give up but despite the use of patches could never last without a cigarette for more than two to three weeks.

“I wanted to try a method that didn’t involve that action of putting your hand to your mouth,” he said. “I asked for a tablet called Champix, which supresses your need for nicotine, and found things worked out really well. It was a 12-week course and proved the best thing since sliced bread.”

Final day of holiday marked final day of smoking

Duncan booked a holiday in Minorca with his partner Ann and decided that his final day on the Spanish island would be his last day of smoking.

“I had my last cigarette at the hotel and it was seven or eight hours before we got home. Going that long without a cigarette was like a world record for me and I just carried on from there,” he said.

“With any form of addiction you’ve got to break that cycle. I got started on the Champix, climbed on to my exercise bike and just kept on pedalling.

“I went through some grumpy phases but overall I’ve felt a lot calmer. I’ve got a lot more energy now and I’m keeping fit and eating a lot more healthily.”

Racking up the miles on his exercise bike while playing on the Xbox is all a far cry from smoking 40 cigarettes a day in his 20s and 30s, and then 15 to 25 rollies through his 40s and into his 50s.

“I started my first cigarette behind the monkey enclosure at London Zoo when I was 11 years old. Then I just carried on smoking at every opportunity to keep in with the crowd – it was peer pressure.”

The West Ham fan, who works part-time on the deli counter at Tesco in Cowley as well as carrying out maintenance jobs, says he now finds it easy relaxing in the company of friends who are smoking.

“If you’re not committed to giving up you won’t be able to. But it’s the best thing I’ve done. Now I feel more like a 23-year-old than I did when I was 23,” Duncan said.

One in five UK adults continue to smoke

While studies show that two-thirds of smokers want to follow Duncan’s lead, nearly one in five UK adults continue to smoke.

Liz West, Stop Smoking Service Manager at Smokefreelife Oxfordshire, said “No Smoking Day is the perfect time to motivate people to stop smoking. Smokefreelife Oxfordshire provides a free, local, tailor-made service to Oxfordshire residents using both face-to-face clinics, telephone support and online information.

“As smoking remains one of the leading causes of premature death in Oxfordshire and the UK, providing free support to smokers can help to reduce the risk of people developing smoking-related illnesses.”

“With support, smokers are more likely to succeed in stopping smoking for good. That is why Smokefreelife Oxfordshire is regularly is out and about in the county, not just on No Smoking Day, educating smokers on the range of local services and resources available to them.”

Make a positive change

Lawrie Stratford, Cabinet member for Public Health, said: “It is not always easy, but No Smoking Day provides an opportunity for people to think about making a positive change and stop smoking.

“Research has demonstrated that stopping smoking for 24 hours alone can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and heart attack, and this is the message we’ll be promoting today.”

Smokefreelife Oxfordshire offers free support to stop smoking online, by telephone or in person.

Call 0800 246 1072

Text QUIT to 66777

Visit www.smokefreelifeoxfordshire.co.uk

Owner Soran Salih, who runs Wisla Supermarket at 12 The Parade, faced prosecution after manager, Erfran Gharib, sold a packet of Berkley Blue cigarettes to a Trading Standards volunteer, who had only recently turned seventeen.

The pair pleaded guilty at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, January 10. The Court heard that a Trading Standards advice visit was made to the shop on April 5, where Mr Gharib was advised on ways to prevent selling age-restricted products to underage customers including to make age-verification checks such as Challenge 25.

However, just a few days later, when the test purchaser asked to buy some cigarettes, he responded “the cheapest”, he made the sale without any checks on the purchaser’s age.

At interview, Mr Salih, admitted that he hadn’t provided his staff with any formal, structured training in age-restricted sales and had instead relied on verbal reminders, despite being advised in writing to do so following a failed test purchase of alcohol in February 2017?, when cans of Budweiser had been sold to a 15 year old boy.

Mr Salih, 33, of The Parade, Kidlington was fined £1000 with £500 costs and £100 victim surcharge. Mr Gharib, 34, also of Kidlington, was fined £500 with £235 costs and £50 victim surcharge.

Councillor Judith Heathcoat, Cabinet Member for Trading Standards said: “Around two-thirds of adult smokers admit to starting their habit when they were underage. Retailers have an important role to play in helping to stop the next generation of smokers from starting in the first place. Most take their responsibilities very seriously. We will not tolerate any retailers selling cigarettes or other age-restricted products to children.”

Jody Kerman, Trading Standards Operations Manager said: “whilst smoking rates have fallen considerably, unfortunately it is still the case that 300 children start smoking everyday in the UK. If anybody has any concerns about people selling tobacco and other restricted products to children, please report to Trading Standards by calling 03454 04 05 06”.

Notes to Editors:

A review of the premises licence for Wisla Supermarket was instituted by Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service and took place on November 20 at Cherwell District Council offices as a result of the underage sales of tobacco and alcohol.

The system is activated by two linked “intelligent” detectors that monitor the air and deploy a fine mist for ten minutes to suppress the fire, while automatically alerting the Fire Service. It prevents the fire spreading and smoke-related fire deaths.

Watch Manager Paul Riley said “The misting system is used as a last resort, as Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to fire in the home. Many of those are smokers and may have other risk factors. We work closely with partners in local authorities, social care and social landlords to identify and assess situations where misting systems can really help save lives”.

Because the system is portable, it can then be taken away, once the person stops smoking or changes address.

Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service carries out Safe and Well visits in homes across the County to protect members of the community. These visits include the fitting of smoke alarms and providing advice to occupiers on fire, health and wellbeing to support the resilience of residents in the home.

There are a number of criteria to consider when assessing a resident for a misting system and these revolve around the person’s ability to respond in the event of a fire. Considerations include mobility, age, mental health and lifestyle habits.

If you have concerns about a resident and you feel that their circumstances may meet the criteria for a misting system, contact the safeguarding team - fire.safeguarding@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

Cheap illegal tobacco is attractive to some smokers because it is often sold at half the price of the legal equivalent but its availability helps children to start smoking, brings communities into contact with organised criminals and undermines legitimate local businesses. In October HMRC released figures showing illegal tobacco made up 15% of all cigarettes and 28% of hand-rolling tobacco smoked in the UK. Taxpayers lost around £2.5 billion from the illicit trade in 2016-17 and this is money which could be used to fund the vital public services we all rely on and, for example, equates to the cost of funding over 50,000 new NHS nurses for a year.

Cllr Judith Heathcoat, Cabinet member for Trading Standards said “Anyone involved in the sale of illegal tobacco commits a criminal offence which could result in a hefty fine and lengthy prison sentence. If sales are happening on licensed premises, the business risks losing its alcohol licence, so it is important that responsible premises licence holders take steps to make sure illegal sales aren’t happening in their establishment. Licensees have an important role to play in Oxfordshire Trading Standards’ campaign to keep cheap, illegal tobacco out of the County.”

Questions that anyone running a pub, club or other similar licensed premises should ask themselves:

• Do some of your patrons visit regularly and carry large bags or holdalls?
• Do they meet with the same people or staff every time and are their actions suspicious; for example is money passed between them?
• Do you monitor what’s going on in your establishment, particularly in designated smoking areas or at the door?
• Are people regularly meeting in the car park? Why? Could they be selling illegal goods?

What is illegal tobacco?

There are different types of illegal tobacco:

• Illicit white cigarettes – brands which have no legal market in the UK and are usually amongst the cheapest sold
• Non-UK duty paid – genuine UK brands smuggled into the country and sold without duty being paid
• Counterfeit – illegally manufactured and made to look close to identical to genuine plain-packaging brands

Anyone with information relating to illegal tobacco being bought or sold, can report this to Trading Standards by anonymously via the Illegal Tobacco Hotline, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 0300 999 6 999 or online at http://www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk/

The Oxfordshire Smoking Advice Service delivers a local, free, comprehensive service for stopping smoking for anyone who would like some help to stop smoking.

There are advisers all over Oxfordshire who can help you quit. With the right help and support from your local stop smoking service, you are up to four times more likely to quit than if you choose to go it alone. For more information or simply an informal chat about stopping smoking, please call our team of advisors on 0800 622 6360 or send a SMS QUIT to 66777

The council also aims to educate the public about how to spot illegal tobacco: what the dangers are, and how to report sales. The Illegal Tobacco Roadshow will start in Banbury and go around the county.

Meet sniffer dogs Scamp, Phoebe and Yoyo. They are all ex-rescue dogs and have found millions of pounds-worth of illegal cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco in locations across the UK. The talented mutts are needed as stashes are often hidden behind fake walls or in unusual locations secured by electro-magnets and operated by remote control devices.

Illegal tobacco makes it easier for children to start smoking, as it is sold at cheap prices, and it also makes communities more attractive to criminals, who may have links to organised crime groups. Reports suggest that illegal tobacco is an important part of Organised Criminal Groups’ portfolios. Far from being a victimless crime, this illicit trade is connected to drug trafficking, money laundering, firearms and other crimes that threaten communities and endanger lives.

Pocket money prices pose threat to children and communities

Judith Heathcoat, Deputy Leader of Oxfordshire County Council said: “All tobacco is harmful, but illegal tobacco poses an additional threat to our children and communities, because it is sold at pocket money prices by criminals who are not interested in asking for proof of age. There is a lot of work being done across the county to tackle illegal tobacco but we need the public support to help us. Please tell us about where illegal tobacco is being sold, either in person at our mobile illegal tobacco unit, go online or via our hotline. “

Jodi Kerman Operations Manager, Trading Standards at Oxfordshire County Council added: “This is one of our top priorities for action, not only because smoking remains one of the UK’s biggest causes of premature death but we also know that the availability of cheap, illegal tobacco helps recruit the next generation of smokers and undermines our initiatives to help adults quit smoking.”

In the South East, illegal tobacco had a street value of £37 million and equivalent retail value of approximately £76 million in 2010. We believe that this share has now increased substantially.

The sale of illegal tobacco is a criminal offence. Anyone wishing to report the selling of illegal tobacco can do so anonymously online to Trading Standards at www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk or call the Illegal Tobacco Hotline on 0300 999 6 999. For more information check:

http://www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk/

The first event will take place In Banbury: Monday 23^rd October 10am to 3.30pm Outside Castle Quay Shopping Centre (between M&S and Debenhams)

Research shows that when smokers give up for 28 days they are up to five times more likely to stay smoke-free for good. Successful attempts are also four times more likely with the help of a stop smoking service. Not only are the immediate health benefits huge, but quitting can also put some serious cash back in your wallet – up to £250 a month.

A special Stoptober-themed clinic is coming to Cowley’s Templars Square Shopping Centre tomorrow (Friday 6 October) to highlight the benefits of going smoke free. The event from 10am to 3pm is being staged by Smokefreelife Oxfordshire  - the county’s stop smoking service commissioned by Oxfordshire County Council.

Anyone thinking about taking the Stoptober challenge should drop by for a chat with a friendly and supportive advisor who can give guidance on quitting aids and make referrals for ongoing support from a stop smoking advisor. The family-friendly event will also feature face-painting for children.

Those preferring to quit on their own can visit the Stoptober website for help and advice – including social media support.

Health impact

Cabinet Member for Public Health, Cllr Hilary Hibbert-Biles, said: “Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the UK and contributes to around 100,000 deaths each year. While smoking rates have fallen steadily in Oxfordshire and are below the national average, one in eight people are still lighting up in the county – which amounts to a lot of smokers.

“We’re supporting Stoptober because it’s vital we encourage Oxfordshire residents to make healthy choices. Quite simply, stopping smoking is the single biggest thing you can do to improve your life expectancy.”

Leena Sankla, Director of Public Health & Lifestyle Services, Solutions 4 Health Ltd who provide Smokefreelife Oxfordshire, encourages people to stop by and get involved: “We are passionate about giving smokers the best possible chance to quit and hope that lots of people come and find out what we can offer by talking to the staff at our event. There will be lots going on and I’d encourage everyone, smoker or not, to come and enjoy the entertainment and learn about the support available through Smokefreelife Oxfordshire.”

Further event:

Smokefreelife Oxfordshire  will also be outside Castle Quay Shopping Centre, Banbury, on 9 October from 10am – 3pm.

The county council's Public Health team commissions a range of stop-smoking services. Current contracts with GPs, pharmacies and other providers are due to come to an end and the team is thinking about what the new services might look like from April 2018.

Smoking rates in Oxfordshire have fallen steadily and are currently lower than the national average, but it is thought around 65,000 people have yet to kick the habit. Meanwhile smoking remains the main cause of preventable death across the UK.

Reaching out to smokers

Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Education Hilary Hibbert-Biles said: “We want to make sure the best possible services are provided in Oxfordshire, so that we are reaching as many smokers as possible and further reducing the health problems and loss of life that smoking causes. We’re asking people for their views on what works best, how we can improve what’s on offer to help people quit.”

“We’ve seen a big reduction in the proportion of people smoking but there still remains a significant number of people who we need to reach – including both long-term smokers and a small proportion of young people who are still taking up the habit. Many of these people have already tried to quit, or would like to, but have yet to access the right support.”

Community advisors

When stop-smoking services were first commissioned by the council in 2013, a new service was set up with advisors in different places, like shopping centres or supermarkets.

Cllr Hibbert-Biles added: “Many smokers say they are equally happy to speak to advisors in community settings or clinical settings, and our evidence suggests that people are still four times more likely to quit with the support of an advisor compared with other methods.”

Consultation options

The council is seeking views on a number of options, including ongoing GP and pharmacy-based services and targeted support for priority groups of smokers. Other options being considered include online and telephone support, and prevention and education programmes targeted at young people.

The consultation, which runs until 17 August, will help inform decision-making on the nature of stop-smoking services provided in Oxfordshire in the future.

For more information and to have your say, please visit https://tinyurl.com/oxonlsss

Smokefreelife Oxfordshire is taking to the streets on Wednesday 8th March to reach the 72,000 smokers in Oxfordshire. People are invited to come along and visit a quit-smoking advisor and potentially join the 2,000 people who quit with the service in Oxfordshire last year.

Drop-in sessions

Solutions 4 Health’s Smokefreelife Oxfordshire - the experts employed by the council to provide stop smoking services countywide – are running free quit smoking drop-in sessions at Bonn Square, Oxford and Abingdon Market Square from 10am to 4pm; Castle Quay Shopping Centre, Banbury and Templars Square Shopping Centre, Cowley from 9am-5pm. Come and talk to us about how to quit smoking!

The first step in giving up smoking is often the hardest, so Smokefreelife Oxfordshire are offering free nicotine replacement therapy such as patches or gum, and behavioural support on the day from their ‘wellness-on-wheels’ vans – with no appointment necessary.

The team has also been visiting schools leading up to No Smoking Day, to promote the benefits of both quitting and not starting smoking in the first place.

Making a positive change

The council's Cabinet Member for Public Health Hilary Hibbert-Biles said: “Everyone knows stopping smoking is the best thing you can do to improve your health. It is not always easy, but No Smoking Day provides an opportunity for people to think about making a positive change and stop smoking.

“Research has demonstrated that stopping smoking for 24 hours alone can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and heart attack, and this is the message we’ll be promoting on Wednesday.”

Contact the Smokefreelife Oxfordshire team directly on 01865 238 036 or email info@smokefreelifeoxfordshire.co.uk for support and the best chance of giving up for good. Help is also available through your GP practice or your local pharmacy. Alternatively, 'like' us on Twitter or Facebook (@smokefreelifeOx) or visit the website at www.smokefreelifeoxfordshire.co.uk.

In May the UK became the second country, after Australia, to adopt standardised packaging and gave all tobacco manufacturers up to a year to switch to uniform, dark green packs with bigger health warnings and prominent graphic pictures. The packaging is designed to make starting smoking less appealing, and help improve quit rates.

Standardised packaging was introduced in Australia in 2012 and the post-implementation review published by the Australian Government in March 2016 showed a decline in the volume of tobacco sales and an overall decline in smoking prevalence. It is hoped that standardised packaging in the UK will have a similar effect.

Councillor Hilary Hibbert-Biles, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, said: “We welcome the introduction of plain packaging and hope to see the numbers of people taking up smoking in Oxfordshire drop in the months to come, especially among younger people.

“We also hope that the hard-hitting warnings and unappealing photographs on the packaging will encourage people that do smoke to think about the health implications, and act as an incentive to quit.”

Support to quit smoking is available in Oxfordshire through SmokeFreeLife Oxfordshire, commissioned by the County Council, and also most GP practices and pharmacies. These services can provide free professional and tailored advice on how to stop smoking and access to the aids, including patches and gum, available on prescription.

Dr Naseem Mushtaq, Health Improvement Manager at SmokeFreeLife Oxfordshire, said: “SmokeFreeLife Oxfordshire are passionate about giving smokers the best possible chance to quit smoking and hope that lots of people motivated by the new packaging come and find out what we can offer by talking to our staff at our clinics across Oxfordshire.

“Not only do we directly supply free nicotine replacement therapy to clients, we also provide motivational and behavioral support to help them in their quit attempt and ultimately empower them to live a healthier lifestyle.”

Social media is being used to report sightings of the new packaging. Anyone spotting a pack can tweet an image plus its location using the hashtag #trackthepack and add to a ‘Track the Pack Map.’ To track the packs, visit http://bit.ly/TrackPack2025 or tweet to @breathe2025.

Based on research that if you stop smoking for 28-days you are five times more likely to quit for good, Oxfordshire County Council’s public health department is encouraging smokers to pledge to quit in whatever way suits them best, making the most of a wide range of support throughout their journey.

Cabinet Member for Public Health, Cllr Hilary Hibbert-Biles, said: “Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the UK and contributes to around 100,000 deaths each year. We’re supporting Stoptober because it’s vital we encourage Oxfordshire residents to make healthy choices – especially with regards to stopping smoking, which is the single best thing you can do to improve your life expectancy.”

For those people who like to find their own way, the Stoptober website can signpost you to an app and email and social media support including Facebook Messenger.

For those who prefer expert face to face support, Smokefreelife Oxfordshire – the stop smoking service commissioned by the council and provided by Solutions 4 Health, will be with you every step of the way.

Providing professional and tailored advice, your stop smoking advisor can give guidance on the different types of stop smoking aids available to you; including medicines and e-cigarettes, helping you to choose the best solution for you.

Starting on Saturday 17 September in Banbury, Smokefreelife Oxfordshire will be holding special Stoptober-themed clinics throughout the county. Leena Sankla, Director of Public Health & Lifestyle Services, Solutions 4 Health Ltd, encourages people to stop by and get involved: “We are passionate about giving smokers the best possible chance to quit and hope that lots of people come and find out what we can offer by talking to the staff at our event. There will be lots going on and I’d encourage everyone, smoker or not, to come and enjoy the entertainment and learn about the support available through Smokefreelife Oxfordshire.”

Everyone’s quitting journey is different, but you will not be alone. Nearly a million people have taken part since Stoptober began five years ago, so join in with the biggest stop smoking challenge of its kind, search Stoptober and find the right support for you.