Introduction

Smoking can harm your health, but it's often difficult to stop. This is because many people who smoke get addicted to nicotine, a chemical in tobacco. It's good to know that there are treatments available that can help you give up cigarettes.

We've brought together the best research about nicotine addiction and weighed up the evidence about how to treat it. You can use our information to talk to your GP or pharmacist and decide which treatments are best for you.

If you smoke, you've probably become addicted to nicotine, a chemical in tobacco. This makes it very hard to give up smoking. Most people don't manage to stop the first time they try. You may need to try several times before you're able to stop smoking for good.

Fortunately, there are good treatments that can help you stop. These treatments give you a better chance of stopping smoking than if you rely on willpower alone.

The main thing is, don't give up trying to stop. Half of all smokers eventually manage to stop smoking.

Key points about smoking

• Smoking is the biggest cause of death and illness in the UK. More than 120,000 people die each year from diseases caused by smoking.

• Stopping smoking reduces your chances of getting heart disease and cancer, and it may help you live longer.

• Most smokers find it hard to stop because they are addicted to nicotine. Addiction is a serious condition, and you can get help to overcome it.

• You have a better chance of stopping if you use nicotine replacement therapy and if you get professional help.

• An antidepressant drug called bupropion (brand name Zyban) helps many people stop. This drug can help you stop even if you aren't depressed.

• A newer drug called varenicline (brand name Champix) may work better than bupropion.