Stop smoking

Information about smoking 

Smoking is the primary cause of preventable illness and premature death in England. It has been identified as the single biggest cause of inequality accounting for over half of the difference in risk of premature death between social classes. It harms nearly every organ of the body causing over 85% of deaths from lung cancer, around 80% of deaths from bronchitis and emphysema, and about 17% of deaths from heart disease. Over a quarter of all cancer deaths can be attributed to smoking, including cancer of the mouth, lip, throat, bladder, kidney, stomach, liver and cervix.  Exposure to other people’s tobacco smoke is also a cause of ill-health. Second-hand smoke has been shown to cause:

• Lung cancer and heart disease in adult non-smokers
• Increased sensitivity and reduced lung function in people with asthma
• Irritation of the eye, nose and throat
• Reduced lung function in adults with no chronic chest problems.

Second-hand smoke exposure also harms babies and children, with an increased risk of respiratory infections, increased severity of asthma symptoms, more frequent occurrence of chronic coughs, phlegm and wheezing, and increased risk of cot death and glue ear. 

What you can do to help yourself

Stopping smoking reduces the risk of developing many fatal diseases. The table below shows the benefits of stopping smoking 

There are many things smokers can do to stop smoking. However, it has been shown that smokers are four times more likely to succeed with the support of a trained NHS adviser. Smoking is a serious addiction and it’s important to get the correct support and guidance. To help stop smoking:

Get professional help through NHS trained specialist advisors

• Prepare mentally
• Understand what to expect - most people find the first few days difficult, remember it will get easier
• Consider the money - smoking 20 cigarettes a day costs over £2,000 per year
• Set a date
• Involve family and friends - it will be much easier to quit if you do it together
• Deal with the nicotine withdrawal - nicotine is a powerful addictive drug, you may want to consider medication
• Find a temporary substitute habit - avoid situations where you would usually smoke
• Deal with any weight gain worries
• Avoid temptation
• Watch out for relapse

Medications help smokers to stop by reducing the chemically-driven need to smoke without providing the same satisfaction as smoking and so not becoming the object of dependence. Nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) include: Bupropion (Zyban), Varenicline (Champix). Psychological support aims to strengthen the smoker’s motivation not to smoke and provides advice on medication and quitting techniques. This could be offered through one-one or group support (or via the telephone).

Make a list of reasons why you want to stop smoking. If you know why you want to stop smoking, it could help you through the most difficult moments. These may include better all-round health, set a good example to children, more money to spend, better chance of having a healthy baby, food and drink tastes better, better skin and complexion, and no early wrinkles, fresher smelling breath, hair and clothes, and no more cigarette smells around the house, travel on trains, aircraft, buses will be easier.

Local sources of support

Call the national NHS Stop Smoking Helpline on free-phone 0800 1690 169 (7am-11pm). They will sign-post you to your nearest Stop Smoking Support Service.

Visit http://smokefree.nhs.uk/, the NHS Smokefree website for advice and information, toolkits to help you quit and information about smoking during pregnancy.