You can download and print a range of resources from the NHS Smokefree website as well as find details of a whole host of information around smoking cessation. Simply visit:
https://campaignresources.phe.gov.uk/resources/campaigns/15-smokefree/overview
E-cigarettes (also sometimes known as vaporizer cigarettes) are devices that give out doses of vaporized nicotine that you then inhale.
They usually have a re-chargeable battery, an atomiser and a cartridge of liquid. When you puff on your e-cig as you would an ordinary cigarette, the battery powers the device to heat the liquid and vaporize it. So what you are inhaling is vapour, not smoke.
For professionals here is the link to NCSCT, where you have access to a host of information to help and support you in your stop smoking role.
When you go smoke-free, your appetite and sense of taste may improve, tempting you to snack more often. Make sure you have plenty of healthy snacks, like fruit and nuts. Any weight gain need only be temporary. Once you’ve stopped smoking, you’ll find it easier to be active and lose any extra weight.
Just remember
If you’ve tried before and it didn’t work out don’t worry. You haven’t failed, you have just given yourself more practice for the next time you quit.
Research has shown that the more attempts you have made in the past, the more likely you are to succeed in the future. This is because every time you are getting more experienced in how to quit.
Next time you quit spend a little longer planning. Think about why you went back to smoking and if you could have done anything different in the same situation to stop it from happening again.
Telling your family and friends you are quitting is something you need to decide. Telling them can often mean you get extra support however, you may feel that it will put under extra pressure. Have a think about what you will gain if they know or not.
Often people feel that the morning cigarette is going to be the hardest to give up. Due to the fact that you have been thinking about it can simply mean you are preparing for your quit.
Try changing your morning routine by getting up a little later, or by having a different morning drink to your usual as often having the same drink can trigger an association to smoking. Remember, if you are using a stop smoking medication then this will help with your cravings
Not really, except nicotine gets rid of edginess caused by falling nicotine levels. The impact of nicotine on most people is actually as a stimulant. There are better ways of reducing stress.
It’s never too late to stop, look how quickly you can gain a benefit of quitting
If you are feeling nausea it is often a good idea to try taking your tablet after food. Often this seems to help to settle the stomach.
If it continues you could consider dropping to the lower dosage of 0.5mg twice a day and see if this helps. Speak to your advisor or GP to get more advice.
From the moment you stop smoking your body starts its recovery process. During this you may find that you experience some nicotine withdrawal and recovery symptoms. You may notice that you still have the urge to smoke, feel a little restless, irritable, frustrated or tired; some people also find that they have difficulty sleeping or concentrating. Be assured, these symptoms will pass and there are plenty of things you can do to manage your symptoms in the meantime.
Remember to try and stay focussed on the positive effects of stopping smoking like the amount of money you will save, no cigarette smells and the improvements to your health. Focusing on the positives will help you to stay smoke-free while the withdrawal and recovery symptoms pass.
Also using a stop smoking medication will help to dampen down withdrawal so it is advisable to use a medication in conjunction with support when you are stopping smoking.
Chewing tobacco in paan makes you five times more likely to get oral cancer.
Many families enjoy chewing tobacco in paan at home. You don’t need to spoil this tradition by stopping the ritual altogether – try chewing paan without the tobacco in it. This is much safer and you won’t be putting yourself or your family at risk.
When it does happen, the labour is unlikely to be easier and it is bad for babies, resulting in a higher risk of death and disease in infancy and early childhood. You may need to stay in hospital longer after the birth.
Tobacco smoke contains poisonous chemicals that pass through the placenta into the baby’s blood. They slow the baby’s growth, and increase the chances of a miscarriage, premature birth or stillbirth.
It’s never too late to stop and it’s always worth it. Your chances of both a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby improve when you stop smoking.
If you or your partner smoke, your children are more likely to get infections and glue-ear, and asthma can be made worse.
Not all babies are adversely affected, but smoking during pregnancy makes premature birth twice as likely and the risks of stillbirth or the baby dying soon after birth is a third higher for smokers. There is also a greater risk of cot death.
Smokers who cut down often inhale more deeply and take more puffs, so the same numbers of chemicals pass into the baby. The same applies to using low tar cigarettes.
Most pregnant women can use NRT. It’s important to talk it through with your doctor or midwife first. They can help you to weigh up the risks of continuing to smoke against the benefits of stopping using NRT. Using NRT is safer than smoking because it doesn’t contain poisons like tar or carbon monoxide.
