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THE BENEFITS OF STOPPING FOR GOOD
Your body will begin to get rid of tobacco toxins immediately after you quit.
Your blood will have half the levels of nicotine and carbon monoxide within eight hours of quitting.
You will have a better sense of taste and smell within a few weeks and your irritating morning cough will start to disappear.
Your lungs will recover and you will be less short of breath.
Your health will improve
You will feel better knowing you are fitter and less dependent on nicotine.
You will halve your risk of heart attack within a year or two of not smoking.
Your risk of heart attack will be similar to that of a lifelong non-smoker after three years of not smoking.
You will probably halve the risk of getting lung cancer if you stay off cigarettes for ten years. The longer you stop the lower the risk.
Your risk of getting many of the diseases caused by smoking will be reduced to little more than that of a lifelong non-smoker after 15 years of not smoking
Use the week before to get ready to stop.
7 DAYS BEFORE YOU STOP
Make sure you're stopping because YOU want to Check your own reasons against this list and add some of your own. Then keep your list handy over the next few months
When I've stopped I'll:
reduce the risk of lung cancer
be less likely to have a heart attack
have more money
have more chance of having a healthy baby
set a good example to my children
be fitter
breathe more easily
have fresher smelling breath ,hair and clothes
6 DAYS BEFORE
Try to understand your smoking habits. For many people smoking is linked to certain times of the day and situations. To break these links you may need to change your habits for a while. So if you always smoke when you have a cup of coffee, try having a fruit juice instead. Plan in advance how you'll cope with different situations, like at the pub, with friends or at work.
5 DAYS TO GO
Tell your family and friends you've decided to stop. The more encouragement you get, the more successful you'll be-so ask for support and understanding. Tell people the date you plan to stop. If you want some friendly help and advice on stopping smoking ask your pharmacist, who has plenty of leaflets and information on the subject. He can also advise on a range of products which may also help such as nicotine patches, gum, losenges, microtabs, inhalators and herbal products .In England you can also phone the stopping smoking Quitline, run by an independent charity QUIT on 0800 002200.
4 DAYS BEFOREHAND
Think about how to keep your mind off cigarettes. You'll need to keep your hands and your mind busy for the next few weeks. Now could be the time to try that new hobby that's always interested you.
3 DAYS BEFORE YOU STOP
Stock up on nibbles. When you've stopped you might find it helpful to chew sugar-free gum, raw vegetables or fruit.
2 DAYS TO GO
Try a relaxation technique. You could find out about exercise classes in your area or check your local library for books on stress reduction and relaxation.
1 THE DAY BEFORE
Now you're ready to stop smoking. Make sure you have no cigarettes around. Before you go to bed throw away your lighters and ashtrays.
Smoking is the largest single cause of preventable death in the United Kingdom, claiming an estimated 120,000 victims each year. That is more than 13 people every hour, or the equivalent of a fully laden jumbo jet crashing every other day.
A person does not need to smoke very many cigarettes before the sense of taste and smell and appetite for food are affected by the many substances in tobacco smoke. A smokers cough can develop quite rapidly and chest infections are more likely to occur.
Smoking can also affect the way the lungs cope with physical exertion, running for a bus, for example.
The worst effects appear after many years, the three main diseases being:
• Lung cancer - at least 90% of lung cancers are caused by smoking
• Chronic bronchitis and other lung diseases - about 90% of people who suffer from these diseases are smokers
• Heart disease - coronary heart disease is the leading cause of premature death in this country and smoking accounts for a large proportion of these deaths. The risk of having a heart attack under 50 is ten times greater for smokers than non smokers
I have smoked for years - is it too late now for me to stop ?
Severe though the risks from continuing to smoke are, a person's health usually starts to improve from the moment they give up the habit. Once a person stops smoking, their health starts improving immediately.
Within:
One hour: blood pressure falls and circulation starts improving
One day: lungs begin the process of cleaning out mucus and other debris
One week: bronchial passages relax making breathing easier
One month: circulation improves throughout the whole body
One year: lung function improves 10%
Ten years: risk of lung cancer falls to about half that of a smoker. Risk of heart attack falls to about the same as someone who has never smoked
Where can I get help?
Although many people find the most effective way to stop smoking is to pick a day and just stop - others find it more difficult and need support and help.
Your local pharmacist will be able to give you advice on a range of nicotine replacement products which are available to support you in your desire to stop smoking.
Compared with willpower alone, nicotine replacement therapy doubles success rate - it does NOT replace the need for willpower and is not a magic cure.
Other sources of advice and help are your local Doctor who may run a local clinic. Health education and health promotion units also provide free leaflets, give advice and some run stop smoking groups.
Telephone support providing help in stopping smoking and information on local services:
Quitline :
0800 002200
ASH :
Action on Smoking and Health
England: 020 7739 5902
Scotland: 0131 225 4725
Wales: 029 2064 1101
N. Ireland: 028 9066 3281 |
