SMOKING CESSATION
Every year about 19,000 Australians die of smoking related diseases. Smoking damages nearly every organ in the body and one in two lifetime smokers will die from their smoking. Quitting at any age gives immediate benefits and reduces the chance of developing smoking related illnesses. With planning and determination, you can quit and stay a non-smoker.
It is important to be clear about your reasons for smoking and for quitting. Some good reasons to quit include:
- The condition of your heart, lungs, circulation and immune system will improve
- Your breathing will improve
- Food will smell and taste better
- You will find it easier to exercise and be active
- Your general health will be better, so you are less likely to have sick days
- You will save money – about $4,000 per year for a pack-a-day habit.
Before you quit, it is recommended to consult your pharmacist if you are taking any medicines, as chemicals in cigarette smoke change the way some medicines work. Additionally, as stopping smoking may be stressful, you should consult your doctor if you have depression, anxiety or other mental illness.
Stopping smoking involves more than overcoming the physical addiction to nicotine. You will have the best chance of quitting and staying quit if you use an advice or support service such as the Quitline (phone 13 7848) and a proven quitting medicine such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) available at pharmacies.
The goal of NRT is to reduce nicotine cravings and withdrawal symptoms. It is most useful for people who smoke more than 10 cigarettes per day, and people who use NRT are twice as likely to stay quit as those who try to use willpower alone. NRT is available in the form of chewing gum, skin patches, inhalers, sublingual tablets or lozenges. Some forms may be better for some people than others, and sometimes we may use a combination of different NRTs. So come in to Watson’s Friendly Pharmacy and ask one of our pharmacists for advice on the best way to quit for you.