Stop Smoking Support

Stop Smoking Support

Stopping smoking is one of the best things you can do for not only your own health but that of your loved ones.  The good news is that there is lots of support available to help you stop, and you’re more likely to quit for good with the right support for you.

What help is available?

• Check out the NHS resources at: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/for-your-body/quit-smoking/ including:
  • Find a local Stop Smoking Service
  • A FREE Personal Quit Plan
  • Download the SmokeFree app
  • Speak to a trained advisor on the phone or online
• Book an appointment with your local pharmacist for advice on curbing cravings including:
  • Prescription medication (which can also be prescribed by Dr Shilpa) 
  • Nicotine replacement therapies
• Consider a self-help book – many people have successfully given up smoking with Allen Carr’s “Easy Way to Stop Smoking”
  • It’s also available as an audio book to listen to on the way to work or in the car – join Audible for a month’s free trial to listen for free

You’re more likely to quit with some help:

• Boost your chance of success by up to 3 times with your local Stop Smoking Service
• Stop smoking aids such as medication and nicotine replacement products are even more effective when used in conjunction with your local Stop Smoking Service

What about vaping & e-cigarettes?

Although vaping and e-cigarettes may help people give up smoking and may be considered less harmful than cigarettes(1), less is known about their long-term effects on health: some studies have linked them to increased risk of strokes and heart disease, disrupting lung function and impacting oral health(2).

REASONS TO QUIT:

Facts & Figures(3):

• Smoking caused an estimated 115,000 deaths in the UK in 2015 –  approx. 21% of all deaths from all causes
• Smoking is the biggest cause of cancer in the UK – 15% of all cancers
• It’s not just lung cancer – smoking causes at least 15 types of cancer including oral, pancreas, liver, stomach, bowel, kidney, bladder, cervical, and ovarian cancer and leukaemia.

Other health risks of smoking(4):

Smoking can also: 

• increase the risk of developing a number of other health conditions such as:
  • Heart attacks, stroke and coronary heart disease
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchitis and emphysema
  • Pneumonia
• worsen respiratory disorders such as asthma, respiratory tract infections and the common cold
• cause impotence in men as it limits the blood supply to the penis 
• reduce fertility in both men and women. 
• affect pregnancy by increasing the risk of:
  • Miscarriage
  • Premature birth
  • Low birth weight
  • Stillbirth

Other benefits of stopping smoking:

• Feeling less stressed
• Easier breathing
• Reduced snoring and improved sleep
• Healthier skin
• Better breath
• Whiter teeth

Cigarette smoke can harm non-smokers:

• Second-hand smoke(5) – the majority of secondhand smoke is invisible and odourless, so even if you think you’re being careful, the people around you can still breathe in harmful poisons, increasing their risk of meningitis, bronchitis and pneumonia.
  • It is illegal to smoke in vehicles with someone under 18, the driver and passenger could be fined £50.
• Third-hand exposure comes from the chemical residues left in homes and and cars on surfaces in including clothing, fabrics, walls, furniture and even toys.  Third-hand exposure can also increase cancer risk and cause other health issues, especially in infants and children who are more vulnerable as their bodies and brains are still developing(6).

Smoking depletes important nutrients:

• Vitamin C – a powerful antioxidant required for immune function, involved in collagen production in skin, ligaments, muscles and blood vessels, and is vital for adrenal health.
• Vitamin E – another important antioxidant also important for immunity and building blood cells

Recent Research: 

Research published in 2020 shows that:

• Cigarette butts that are cold to the touch may continue to release up to 14% of the nicotine that an actively burning cigarette emits.  Nicotine and other toxic chemicals may be released for up to 5 days after being extinguished(6).
• New lung cells can replace cigarette-damaged lung cells when you stop smoking, even in people who have smoked for decades(7) 

If you’re keen to give up smoking, visit your local pharmacist or book an appointment to discuss prescription medication at www.privategp.org/book or call 0203 303 0326.

March 2020

References:

1. Using e-cigarettes / vaping to quit smoking. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/for-your-body/quit-smoking/using-e-cigarettes-vapes-to-quit-smoking/
2. Is vaping bad for you? Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/is-vaping-bad-for-you#effects-on-lungs
3. Tobacco Statistics.  Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/risk/tobacco#heading-Zero
4. What are the health risks of smoking (2018) Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/lifestyle/what-are-the-health-risks-of-smoking/
5. Protect your family from second-hand smoke. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/smokefree/why-quit/secondhand-smoke
6. Butt emissions: Study finds even extinguished cigarettes give off toxins (2020). Available at: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/01/200129174514.htm
7. New lung cells may replace tobacco-damaged cells after people stop smoking. (2020)  Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/news/heart-and-lungs/new-lung-cells-may-replace-tobacco-damaged-cells-after-people-stop-smoking/