Ok, I’ll put my hands up right now and admit that I tried and failed (once again) to give up smoking for Stoptober. That now makes three failed attempts this year and I’m feeling pretty fed up with myself at the moment. Still, I thought I’d share some information gathered by My Voucher Codes (that was featured here on TNT magazine) hoping that a) it’s of interest to some of you and b) it provides a point of reference for me ready for my next attempt- “Stopnover” doesn’t have quite the same ring to it, but hey there’s no time like the present!

To coincide with Stoptober, www.myvouchercodes.co.uk surveyed over 1,000 adults, male and female, over the age of 18. They asked: “What is the driving factor now for giving up smoking?”

· Over half of the respondents (52%) feel that improving health is a driving factor for giving up smoking
· Thirty-two percent of respondents think that the high price of cigarettes which is pushed even higher up in the UK because of taxes is one of the main issues for people choosing to stop smoking
· Whilst 19% of those asked thought that a factor would be the negative effects smoking has on your family
· The smoking ban in the UK also has an effect with 12% of respondents stating that social implications of smoking is a reason in quitting
· How smoking effects your looks over time also resonated with respondents, 9% thought this could influence people to give up the habit
Seeing how much an average smoker spends on tobacco products in their lifetime might influence people who are considering quitting this Stoptober:

• The average smoker will smoke 13 cigarettes a day which equates to 4,745 each year
• Mayfair King Size cigarettes (one of the popular brands in the UK) cost £7.25 for a 19 pack, totalling an average spend of £1,810.40 a year
• The average UK wage is £26,500 (Net Pay after tax £20,974.72). A 13 cigarette a day habit equates to 8.63% of total income
Money saved from quitting smoking could buy:

• 202 trips to the cinema (average Vue peak time price £8.95)
• 2 Season tickets at Old Trafford (West stand upper £703 each)
• 5x Xbox Ones (£349 each)
• Prada Shoulder bag (£1,650)
• 3 pairs of Jimmy Choo shoes (Mendez suede ankle boots £550 each)
Mark Pearson, founder of My Voucher Codes commented on the findings:

“We all know that smoking is bad for you, so it’s not surprising that improving health is one of the main reasons people want to quit. However the high prices of cigarettes and tobacco in the UK due to the taxes shows that the prohibitive cost also makes people want to quit for good.”

He added:

“When you break down and can see the figures, it might come as a shock to smokers how much they actually spend on smoking and if they quit how much they would save in a year. Being able to buy a designer handbag, football season tickets or even a holiday might persuade people to give up for good and not just for Stoptober.

Stoptober is a joint initiative created by Public Health England and the Department of Health to help people quit smoking for good.