Campaign urges smokers to quit

A national campaign to encourage people to quit smoking, dubbed "Stoptober," has been launched today.

Here is the campaign video:

Health minister Norman Lamb, who revealed he quit smoking last week, said the cost of the campaign was about "a couple of million" pounds.

He told BBC Breakfast:

Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies has said people should "enjoy" giving up smoking, as the nationwide's first ever quit campaign is launched.

She said: "Our new campaign is to get people enjoying giving up smoking.

"We encourage people not to reach for the packet, it really isn't helping you, engage with Stoptober and see if you can be one of the many people who will quit."

The Government's most senior health adviser has backed the nationwide Stoptober quit smoking campaign and encouraged people to take up the scheme.

Stoptober, the first ever national campaign to encourage people to quit smoking has been launched.

The innovative campaign comes as smoking remains the biggest killer in England with half of long-term smokers dying prematurely from smoking related diseases.

Stoptober which takes place from 1 October and is backed by Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation is the first 28 day quit attempt of its kind to encourage the nations eight million smokers to make the step towards a smokefree future.

Smokers will receive support and encouragement through TV and radio advertising which goes live on Monday 10 September, plus a daily messaging service and roadshows around the country.