Swaptober: A New Path to Quit Smoking

• The Swaptober 30-day plan breaks quitting into manageable phases
• Try nicotine alternatives instead of cigarettes for 30 days
• Quitting cigarettes for 28 days makes success five times more likely
• Aim for exploration, rather than perfection

Swaptober isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress. Find what works for you and lighten your future by ditching the lighter.

It builds on the the NHS Stoptober campaign, which was first launched in 2012. Swaptober is based on evidence showing that someone who stops smoking for 28 days is 5 times more likely to stop for good.

Although Stoptober has helped more than 2.5 million Brits make a quit attempt, many go back to the pack.

We get it, quitting cigarettes is hard. And trying to do so without help is almost impossible. Even though lots of different nicotine delivery forms are now available, most smokers in a recent study in England tried to go cold turkey. This approach only works for about 3% of people!

It’s great news that the UK smoking rate is down to 11.9%. But “every week, around 550 million cigarettes are still smoked in Britain – that’s enough to fill an Olympic sized swimming pool.”

Given that the average loss of life per cigarette smoke is estimated at 20 minutes, that corresponds to 183 million hours a week lost. You can get some of that time back. Each day counts. So does every cigarette avoided.

Swaptober focuses on substitution rather than abrupt cessation. The rules are simple.

1. No fire. No smoke. You can still use nicotine—but not by burning tobacco.

2. Find the best solution for you. We will explain the options.

3. Track progress. Doing your best might look different every day. Count every win!

• Pick your nicotine alternative(s)
• Tell your family and friends about your swap plans
• Set a “no smoking” start date (Day 4)

• Avoid lighting up by swapping the cigarettes you can live without
• Use alternatives when cravings hit
• Track when you miss cigarettes most

• Stick to your chosen product(s)
• Try lowering nicotine strength if desired
• Add simple healthy habits

• Reflect on changes in your body and mood
• Keep going — slip-ups happen, but progress matters
• Decide what comes next: stay on your new path or reduce nicotine if ready

✅ I didn’t light a cigarette today

✅ I used my alternative product when needed

✅ I did one healthy thing for myself

✅ I stayed committed to the challenge