Voorschoten is participating in Stoptober

On September 17, Councilman Paul de Bruijn kicked off Stoptober in Voorschoten. At the Stoptober camper, the councilman spoke with a delegation from GGD Hollands-Midden, family physician Oscar Nijst, and Pien Laurens from the Forescate tennis club. The conversation focused on the benefits of quitting smoking and the need to help people do so.

(from left to right) Pien Laurens of the Forescate Tennis Club, Councilman Paul de Bruijn, and Oscar Nijst, a family physician, at the Stoptober camper.

Alderman Paul de Bruijn (Public Health): “Do you smoke and find it hard to quit? Join thousands of other Dutch people in taking on this challenge and start the national 28-day smoke-free journey! By not smoking for four weeks, you can break the habit. Plus, it’s very motivating to do this with so many others at the same time.”

The Benefits of Quitting Smoking

Quitting smoking isn’t easy. Most smokers make several attempts to quit before they finally succeed in giving up smoking for good. Research shows that effective support when quitting smoking helps. Your family doctor can advise you on this. Quitting smoking has many benefits. You’ll feel fitter and be less likely to catch a cold or get sick. By not smoking, you’ll also set a good example for the next generation of young people.

Stoptober works! 

Already 500,000 people have participated in Stoptober. Seventy percent of them stuck with Stoptober and didn’t smoke. Furthermore, more than half of the participants had still quit smoking after three months.

Would you like to join us?

Smokers who want to participate can sign up at www.stoptober.nl or. The 28-day smoke-free journey begins on October 1. Participants will receive daily support and encouragement to stick with it—for example, through motivational posts and videos on social media, Stoptober.tv ( ), and the Stoptober app.   

Stoptober is an initiative of the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport (VWS), the Dutch Cancer Society (KWF Kankerbestrijding), the Dutch Heart Foundation (Hartstichting), the Dutch Lung Foundation (Longfonds), and the Municipal Health Service (GGD-GHOR). In Voorschoten, 17% of adults smoke[1].

[1] Source: GGD Hollands Midden