NHS STOPTOBER

SPLIT UP WITH SMOKING

Anyone who’s ever smoked (and I say this as an ex‑smoker), knows it’s one of the worst relationships you’ll ever have.

It’s a relationship built on take, take, take. It drains your money, your family and friends hate it, it leaves a horrible taste in your mouth (never mind the smell on your clothes), and ultimately it’s terrible for your health.

And yet, we keep going back.

To launch the NHS One You Stoptober campaign, I wanted to bring that toxic relationship to life — showing why it’s time to break up with smoking for good, while highlighting the tools that make someone five times more likely to quit and stay quit.

The Edinburgh Festival Perrier Award winner James Rawlings helped to create tongue‑in‑cheek short films capturing the emotional “break‑up moment.” Honest, relatable, and a little uncomfortable in all the right ways, the films helped people see smoking for what it really is — and why it's finally time to walk away.

The campaign drove over 250 pieces of coverage, and the films reached more than 2.5 million people. It was adopted as the above‑the‑line campaign across more than 130 trusts, including out‑of‑home and GP‑centre activation.

The Stoptober break‑up campaign exceeded targets, with 25% of all smokers and recent ex‑smokers reporting a quit attempt that October.