Every person who successfully quits smoking has their own story. Often, there’s a moment when they suddenly decide ‘I do not want to smoke any more’.
Despite the warnings about smoking we see online, on TV and on cigarette packets themselves, it often takes a deeper personal experience to trigger the change.
For many people, it’s health-related, such as not being able to climb the stairs or dance at a party without coughing. Or perhaps a bigger scare such as being rushed to hospital with breathing problems.
Sometimes, the inspiration comes from other people. A child who’s learned about the dangers of smoking at school and comes home in tears because they think mum and dad are about to die. A loved one who’s been diagnosed with lung cancer, and says they wished they’d quit. A partner who can no longer stand the smell of smoke.
Sometimes, people just wake up one day, look in the mirror and decide they’ve had enough.
But you don’t have to wait until that health scare or that heart-wrenching moment until you decide ‘I am not a smoker’.
And as we approach No Smoking Day on Wednesday 13th March, we’d like to share some ways to help you stop smoking and tell you that we’ll be here to support you whenever you make that decision.
Your smoking journey
Every smoker is different.
Different in the reasons why you smoke. Different in how smoking affects your life and the lives of those around you. Different in the things that help you to quit and how easy you’ll find it.
But there are some things that are the same for all people who smoke, and these are the things we’re talking about in this article.
- Your life will improve when you do stop smoking
- You can stop smoking
- You can get support to stop smoking as soon as you want it
Your life will improve when you stop smoking
Immediate
The very first time you walk out of the shop without a packet of cigarettes, you’ll find that one of the biggest gains is in your wallet. If you smoke ten a day, you’ll save about £40 in the first week of stopping. How will you treat yourself or your loved ones with that spare cash? Of course, if you stick at it, the savings build up over time - £2,000 a year in fact. Not bad at all.
After a few days
You’ll also notice an improved sense of taste and smell after a few days. You’ll begin to enjoy food and drink more, and going for walks will be more fulfilling when you can smell the fresh air.
Some people may find the first week or two tricky as they deal with nicotine withdrawal, but if you can get through this, the benefits really start to pile up…
After a few weeks
While people often smoke for the perceived mental health benefits, such as reducing stress and anxiety, smoking actually helps prolong these problems. Most people generally feel better after a few weeks of not smoking. Many report better energy levels, more alertness, feeling calmer, sleeping better, improved concentration and boosted mood, all of which have a positive impact on wider life such as work and relationships.
Your breathing and circulation will improve. You’ll be able to do basic things like climbing the stairs, walking to the shops and playing with kids/grandkids without struggling for air. You may even be able to enjoy life even more by taking up new hobbies or exercise such as walking, cycling, swimming or fitness classes.
The improved circulation also means more blood and oxygen gets to your skin, improving your complexion and making you look more radiant. Discoloration to your skin and teeth begins to fade, and your nails become stronger, giving you an all-round healthier, younger appearance.
Increased oxygen levels can boost the immune system and help you fight off infections more effectively, though this differs between people.
After a few weeks, many people say their urges and cravings for cigarettes have greatly reduced, and if you can make it to 28 days, you’re five times more likely to quit forever.
After a few months
Continued improvements to respiratory health and blood circulation can lead to improvements in sexual health. Better blood flow leads to better erectile function for men, while improved energy levels and wellbeing can increase sex drive for both men and women.
Any persistent coughs or wheezing you had when you were a smoker should be gone.
After a few years
According the the NHS, long-term benefits of quitting smoking include:
“Your longer-term risks of cancer, lung disease, heart disease and stroke will be significantly reduced, and:
- after 1 year, risk of heart attack halves compared to a smoker's
- after 10 years, risk of death from lung cancer falls to half that of a smoker
- after 15 years, risk of heart attack falls to the same as someone who has never smoked
You will also be less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, bone disease including osteoporosis, eye disease and dementia.”
Benefits for the rest of your life and beyond
When you become a person who doesn’t smoke, you will likely live longer. According to the British Heart Foundation, people who quit in their thirties live ten years longer than they would have if they’d carried on, while those who quit in their sixties live an extra three years.
But stopping smoking also has benefits even after you’re gone. How? Well, if you have children or grandchildren and smoke near them, they are being harmed by passive smoke. They’re also up to three times more likely to take up smoking if a parent or caregiver smokes. So when you stop smoking, you’re reducing both of these risks, and making it more likely that your children will lead a healthy and smoke-free life.
You can stop smoking
Some people are able to go ‘cold turkey’. Others need a bit more time and support.
Sometimes, willpower alone is not enough. You may need to identify your smoking triggers and change your routines so that you avoid situations where you’re likely to smoke. Creating distractions is also a strategy commonly used by successful quitters. Try keeping your hands busy to prevent you from reaching for a cigarette, or doing something else such as going for a walk when you’d usually smoke.
Some people may also need nicotine substitutes. As you probably know, nicotine is a highly addictive substance present in cigarettes, and often the main reason why some people find it hard to stop smoking. But using patches, nasal sprays, gums or tablets that provide a hit of nicotine that can help people stay away from cigarettes.
One of the most powerful things you can do is to seek support. This can include buddying up with someone else who smokes and helping each other to quit. Or it can simply mean talking to people about your goal of quitting. Seek encouragement from your family and friends, and talk to other people who are no longer smokers to gain their insights into how they kept on track.
The most surefire way you can say ‘I am not a smoker’ is to go to specialist support services. People who use these support programmes are three times more likely to quit for good.
You can get support to stop smoking as soon as you want it
The NHS provides free Stop Smoking Support, and in Luton, you can access this through Total Wellbeing Luton’s Stop Smoking programme.
This is a free, 12-week programme where you’ll meet with a specialist adviser every week. They’ll provide you with tailored advice, motivation and medications/products that can support you in quitting for good, as they have for many others in Luton.
John went through the programme in mid-2023. He had been a smoker for 43 years, taking it up when he was 13. He didn’t want to quit, and had never tried, but a health scare prompted a change.
He ended up in hospital with pneumonia, emphysema and other breathing problems. He was also unhealthily underweight. Following his time in hospital, John’s GP referred him to the programme.
He found the regular meetings with the Stop Smoking Specialist very helpful and encouraging. As a way to monitor John’s progress, each week he would blow into a Carbon Monoxide (CO) Breath Test Monitoring device. This showed the continuous reduction in toxic gases in his bloodstream and encouraged him to keep going. He was also able to get nicotine patches on prescription, which saved him a lot of money.
At the time of writing, John has been smoke-free for six months, is better off financially and is a healthier weight, and would encourage anyone who is struggling with smoke-related health problems to use the programme.
How to access the Stop Smoking programme
The programme can support any smokers over the age of 12. You can either speak to your healthcare professional about signing up, or self-refer using the following details.
- Text QUIT to 60066
- Call us on 0300 555 4152
- Email us total.wellbeing@nhs.net
This No Smoking Day (13th March) our team of link workers will be out and about in Luton. Stop by for a chat:
- Luton & Dunstable Hospital, 10am – 2pm
- The Mall, Luton, 10am – 3pm
Appointment-based clinics run across various locations in Luton, Monday to Friday, 8am-8pm and also at GP surgeries and community pharmacies. We also run clinics on Saturdays.
- Walk-in-centre, 14-16 Chapel Street, Luton, LU1 2SE
- Lea Manor Recreation Centre, Northwell Drive, Luton, LU3 3TL
- Lewsey Sports Park, Pastures Way, Luton, LU4 0PF
- Hightown Community Sports & Arts Centre, Concorde Street, Luton, LU2 0JD
- Larkside Practice, 322 Crawley Green Rd, Luton, LU2 9SB
- Luton Central Library, St George's Square, Luton LU1 2NG
If you’re not a smoker, but know someone who is, be sure to tell them about what you’ve read in this article.