Health and wellbeing
Quit together this Stoptober with Walsall’s full range of stop smoking aids
Published on
This Stoptober, Walsall Council is encouraging residents to take the first step towards a smoke-free future, together.
To support residents on their journey to quit smoking, Be Well Walsall, the wellbeing service commissioned by Walsall Council’s Public Health team is now offering access to Varenicline, a prescription-only medication that helps reduce cravings and eases withdrawal symptoms.
Available through Be Well Walsall for eligible residents, Varenicline offers a new route to quitting. Combined with one-to-one support and tailored advice, this option strengthens Walsall’s commitment to helping more people quit for good.
Regulated vapes were also introduced by the service in March as an additional aid to quit, alongside other nicotine products such as patches and gum (also known as nicotine replacement therapy - NRT). Expert support and treatment to help quit smoking is free to residents for 8 to 12 weeks.
Be Well Walsall’s stop smoking service has gained momentum this year. In April 2025, the service saw a 485% increase (117 in April 2025) in residents accessing the service compared to April 2024. 68% of residents who received support achieved a quit at four weeks. More than half remained smoke-free after eight weeks. The high level of service engagement continued into May and beyond. The quit rate also exceeded the national average for recorded quits.
In September, the newly launched Walsall Manor Emergency Department (ED) Smoking Cessation Service referred its 200th patient to local community services, including Be Well Walsall and Quit with Bella digital support.
“ Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health. With the right support, it is achievable. We’re proud to offer all first choice stop smoking aids through Be Well Walsall including a mix of nicotine replacement products, regulated vapes and access to Varenicline.
We are also seeing increasing numbers of referrals to our service, which reflects the strength of our targeted outreach and the growing impact of working with partner organisations across Walsall.
This Stoptober, I encourage you to take that first step, whether it is for yourself or someone you care about. Let’s quit smoking together. “
“ Stoptober is a brilliant opportunity for people to take that first step towards quitting smoking. Our health and wellbeing coaches offer non-judgemental, personalised support and are ready to help people take action while their motivation is high. We focus on getting people into the service quickly, with coaches who understand the journey and guide them through it with care and confidence. As an ex-smoker myself, I understand how important it is to get the right support at the right time. With lived experience at the core of our team, we know what works, and we’re here to help. “
To sign up to Be Well Walsall’s stop smoking service, visit their website or call 01922 444044. A health and wellbeing coach will be in touch to discuss next steps.
Residents can also access Quit with Bella (fully funded by Walsall Council), which offers app support from AI robo-coach Bella and support from a trained advisor, including a 12-week supply of NRT or vapes. To sign up, visit the Solutions 4 Health website.
Specialist stop smoking services are also available to Walsall residents, offered by Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust. The Tobacco Dependency Service supports hospital patients on the ward who smoke or have smoked within the previous 30 days. Trained staff work with inpatients to help them quit smoking and offer nicotine replacement therapy. Patients and their companions accessing Walsall Manor Hospital’s Emergency Department can also speak to trained staff to stop smoking, with onward referral to a local service. To find out more, email wht.tdt@nhs.net
Pregnant women and their partners can also access support through the Walsall Health in Pregnancy Service. Advisors provide behavioural support and nicotine replacement therapy. Call 01922 270477 for more information.
About Varenicline
Varenicline is a medicine used to help stop smoking in adults. It reduces nicotine cravings and helps with withdrawal symptoms. It is only available as a prescription, which comes as tablets and is seen as a first choice stop smoking medication. Varenicline, along with expert support, can increase your chances of stopping smoking. One course of varenicline lasts 12 weeks. To find out more about Varenicline, visit the NHS website.
Pathway to access varenicline
Residents can only access varenicline as part of their stop smoking journey through a referral to Be Well Walsall. A trained advisor will carry out a full assessment and offer a range of stop smoking aids, including Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), varenicline and ongoing behavioural support.
If varenicline is chosen, the resident will be referred to a participating Walsall pharmacy that can prescribe it directly. No GP appointment is needed. The prescription is issued once the advisor confirms the resident’s commitment to 8–12 weeks of support with Be Well Walsall.
About regulated vapes for quit smoking
Evidence has shown that people who use vapes to quit smoking, as well as having one-to-one expert support, are more likely to succeed.
While nicotine is addictive, the real danger of smoking comes from the thousands of other harmful chemicals in cigarettes. Vaping (while not risk free) and nicotine replacement products (such as patches and gum), offer a much safer way to get nicotine without inhaling tobacco smoke. The public health message for non-smokers, however, remains the same: if you don’t smoke, don’t vape. Those under 18 years old should not be vaping and it is illegal to sell or buy vapes for under 18s.
About first choice stop smoking aids
First-choice stop smoking aids are shown to significantly increase long term quit rates. These include nicotine replacement products like patches and gum, regulated vapes and prescription medication such as varenicline. When combined with expert support, these aids can significantly increase the chances of quitting for good.
