Quitting Smoking

What is smoking doing to me?

If you smoke, it is definitely damaging your health and may ultimately kill you. After all, smoking kills over 6,500 Irish people every year. In Ireland 32% of men and 31% of women smoke – over 40% of younger women smoke. Smoking related illnesses are responsible for one in 10 adult deaths worldwide. These days the health risks are well-publicised, even on the cigarette packets themselves. But in case you had forgotten, here are a few reasons why giving up is the best idea you are ever likely to have:

The list of reasons to quit is virtually endless. There is no single thing that you can possibly do that will have such profound health benefits as giving up smoking. Just flick through any medical textbook and you'll find, right there at the top of every doctor's wish list, is that patients stop smoking. That one step alone would do more to improve the health of the nation than most anything else. It would also free up thousands of hospital beds, shorten waiting lists and save the Irish taxpayer hundreds of millions a year – this would, in the longer term, easily offset the loss of tax revenue from cigarette sales.

If you give up, your life will be longer and you will have more energy to enjoy it. You will be much less likely to be ill. You will have more money in your pocket. Your family and friends will not have to suffer because of your habit. Even food will taste better. You won't have to cough every morning, or spit up phlegm and mucus.

Why is it so difficult to give up?

When you think of all the reasons not to smoke, it seems bizarre why anyone would continue with such an expensive, dirty, unhealthy habit. Only one reason, perhaps, could possibly override all the good reasons to quit and that is addiction.

The current medical thinking in Ireland is that nictotine replacement therapy (NRT) can help wean people off smoking. An international research group reviewed over 80 studies and concluded that with the help of NRT, the chances of quitting smoking are doubled. There are a number of different therapies available. The medical profession believes that it is worth making an effort in this area as smoking cessation is the most important form of preventive health there is.

How can I give up smoking?

Some people simply make the decision not to smoke again and quit. The "cold turkey" approach is not for everyone, but strong willpower is essential to make sure that you don't go back to the old habit.

Firstly you should think about your reasons for quitting. There are certainly plenty to choose from! However, you have to have your own reasons and they have to be good enough to see you through cravings. Perhaps you want to be healthy so that you can enjoy playing with your kids. Maybe you'd like to take up a sport. You might be fed up with coughing all the time, or would like to keep the money you'll save on tobacco to spend on something else.

When you've made your decision to quit, set a date for stopping and prepare to quit. Think about where and when you usually have a cigarette. These are the times that you are likely to have cravings after you stop smoking. You may have to change your routine and find things to do with your hands. The important thing is to break the habit – not just the smoking habit, but any habits that lead you to smoke. Decide how you will cope being around other smokers. Know how to refuse if you are offered a cigarette. Don't be tempted to take even one drag of a cigarette.

Remember that everyone will help. Your GP can give you advice on how to alter your habitual behaviour, and can encourage you by monitoring the improvement in your health as you stay off the cigs. If you ask, your family and friends will help you maintain your willpower. After all, if you stop smoking, you stop polluting their atmosphere too. The vast majority of smokers would like to quit and you may find that even smokers will be supportive of your giving up.

Take it one day at a time. Every day you do not smoke improves your health, just as every cigarette damages it. You may fail and find yourself smoking again. Most smokers who quit have to try more than once before they are successful, so do not be downhearted. Give it another go.

Remember, it is never too late to stop smoking, and there are always benefits to be gained by quitting. Your risk of contracting heart disease starts falling immediately, and after a few years of not smoking your chances of getting lung cancer will have fallen to the levels of a person who never smoked.

Where can I get help with quitting?

Your GP is the best person to give you practical advice on how to give up smoking. They can advise you about commercial products that claim to control cravings, like nicotine patches and gum, and help you with strategies for staying away from cigarettes for good. You might also like to contact ASH – Action on Smoking and Health, who campaign for a smoking-free Ireland. They have a website at www.ash.ie

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