Be a winner… text to quit!
NHS Sheffield’s Stop Smoking service is launching a new text message quit number to help 18 -25 year old men in the city to quit smoking.
The new service is part of a wider campaign targeting this audience using football images and fruit machines. It will be seen in bars, on taxis and around football grounds to highlight to young men that if they stop smoking they’ll feel healthier, have more energy and look better.
The campaign and new service have been developed on the back of work with young men, who explained that the short term impact on health is the main reason they would quit because they don’t want to be short of breath or have reduced fitness levels, and texting would be their preferred way to get stop smoking advice.
Claire Holden the NHS Sheffield Stop Smoking Service Manager said: “We know that many young men enjoy keeping fit and smoking can affect their level of fitness so the campaign focuses on the immediate benefits of quitting. It also aims to make the stop smoking service easier to access and more tailored to their needs.
“These particular groups of smokers are more likely to go ‘cold turkey’ by trying to quit alone, however they are 4 times more likely to quit if they use the service, which is why we want to make sure they know that we are here to help them.”
A new Stop Smoking Shop will open at 106 Pinstone Street in the city centre and will be open every Saturday from November 14th Until December 19th, 10am to 4.30pm to make the service more accessible to young men.
Anyone who does wish to give up smoking in the meantime should contact the NHS Sheffield Stop Smoking Service 24/7 on 0800 068 4490 or visit www.sheffieldstopsmoking.org.uk or text QUIT4 to 88020.
