Answer:

Answer: Your body gets more than nicotine when you smoke a cigarette.

There are more than 4,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke. Some of them are also in wood varnish, the insect poison DDT, arsenic, nail polish remover and rat poison.

The ashes, tar, gases and other poisons in cigarettes harm your body over time. They damage your heart and lungs. They also make it harder for you to taste and smell things, and to fight infections.

Answer:

Answer: Many ex-smokers say stopping was the hardest thing they ever did. Most smokers are addicted to the nicotine in cigarettes. Nicotine is in all tobacco products. It can briefly make you feel calm and satisfied. At the same time, you feel more alert and focused. The more you smoke, the more nicotine you need to feel good. Soon, you don't feel "normal" without nicotine. It takes time to break free from nicotine addiction. It may take more than one attempt to stop smoking for good. So don't give up trying. You will feel good again.

Stopping is also hard because smoking is a big part of your life. You enjoy holding cigarettes and puffing on them. You may smoke when you are stressed, bored or angry. After months and years of lighting up, smoking becomes part of your daily routine. You may light up without even thinking about it.

Smoking goes with other things, too. You may light up when you feel a certain way or do certain things. For example:

• Drinking coffee, wine or beer
• Talking on the phone
• Driving
• Being with other smokers

You may even feel uncomfortable not smoking at times or in places where you usually have a cigarette. These times and places are called "triggers". This is because they trigger, or turn on, cigarette cravings. Breaking these habits is the hardest part of stopping for some smokers.

Stopping isn't easy. It may take several attempts, but you learn something each time you try. It takes will power and strength to beat your addiction to nicotine. Remember that millions of people have stopped smoking for good. You can be one of them!

Answer:

Answer: If you stop smoking cigarettes you will live longer and feel better. Stopping will reduce your chances of having a heart attack, stroke or cancer. The people you live with, especially children, will be healthier if you stop smoking. If you are pregnant, you will improve your chances of having a healthy baby. And you will have extra money to spend on things other than cigarettes.

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Answer: Smoking cigarettes harms nearly every organ of your body. It causes many diseases and reduces the health of smokers in general. The list of diseases caused by smoking has been expanded to include abdominal aortic aneurysm, acute myeloid leukaemia, cataracts, cervical cancer, kidney cancer, pancreatic cancer, pneumonia, dental disease and stomach cancer. These are in addition to diseases previously known to be caused by smoking, such as bladder, oesophageal, laryngeal, lung, oral and throat cancers, chronic lung diseases, coronary heart and cardiovascular diseases, as well as reproductive effects and sudden infant death syndrome.

Answer:

Answer: You should set a date for when you will stop. Consider contacting your local NHS stop smoking service for advice, support and treatments to help you beforehand.

Answer:

Answer: Remember that most people try to stop smoking at least two or three times before they are successful. Review your past attempts to stop. Think about what worked and what didn’t, and try to use your most successful strategies again.

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Answer:

• Before your quit date change your environment by getting rid of ALL cigarettes and ashtrays in your home and car, and don't let people smoke around you.
• Get support and encouragement. Studies show you have a better chance of being successful if you have help. Tell your family, friends, and work colleagues that you are going to stop smoking and want their support. Ask them not to smoke around you or leave cigarettes out where you can see them. The NHS offers free local support and one in two people who use their local NHS Stop Smoking Service are not smoking four weeks later. The NHS Free Smoking Helpline telephone number is 0800-0224332.
• Learn new skills and do something to reduce your  stress levels.
• Get medicine that can help you stop smoking. According to the NHS Stop Smoking Service, if you use NHS Support and a stop smoking treatment to help manage your cravings, you are up to four times more likely to successfully give up smoking. There are several treatments that can help you that are available over the counter at your local chemist or on prescription from your GP so it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to stop smoking.

The NHS recommends the following medicines to help you stop smoking:

• Nicotine gum.
• Nicotine patches.
• Microtabs. These are small tablets containing nicotine which dissolve quickly under your tongue.
• Lozenges. These are sucked slowly to release the nicotine and take about 20-30 minutes to dissolve.
• Inhalators. These look like plastic cigarettes. The inhalator releases nicotine vapour which gets absorbed through your mouth and throat. If you miss the 'hand to mouth' aspect of smoking, these may suit you.
• Nicotine nasal sprays. These sprays deliver a swift and effective dose of nicotine through the lining of your nose.
• Bupropion hydrochloride. This treatment changes the way your body responds to nicotine. You start taking bupropion hydrochloride one to two weeks before you stop smoking and the treatment usually lasts for a couple of months to help you through the withdrawal cravings. It is only available on prescription and is not available if you are pregnant.
• Varenicline. This reduces your craving for cigarettes and the effects you feel if you do have a cigarette. You start taking these tablets one to two weeks before you stop smoking. Treatment normally lasts for 12 weeks. Varenicline is only available on prescription and is not available if you are pregnant.

Answer:

Answer: Many smokers gain weight when they stop, but it is usually less than 10 pounds. Eat a healthy diet, stay active and try not to let weight gain distract you from your main goal which is stopping smoking. Some of the medicines to help you stop smoking may help delay weight gain.

Answer:

Answer: Tell them that you are stopping smoking and ask them to help you with this. Specifically, ask them not to smoke or leave cigarettes around you.

Answer:

Answer: If you have the urge to smoke a cigarette, talk to someone, go for a walk, have a drink of water or get busy with a task. Reduce your stress levels by taking a hot bath, exercising or reading a book.

Answer:

Answer: When you first try to stop smoking, change your routine. Eat breakfast in a different place and have a different drink, such as coffee instead of tea. Take a different route to work.

Answer:

Answer: It’s best to avoid drinking alcohol for the first three months after stopping smoking because drinking lowers your chances of success at stopping. It helps to drink a lot of water and other non-alcoholic drinks when you are trying to stop.

Answer:

Answer: Get individual, group or telephone counselling to help you stop smoking. The NHS offers free local support and runs a Free Smoking Helpline (0800-0224332) which is open seven days a week from 7am to 11pm. The more help you get, the better your chances of stopping smoking for good.