Quitting Smoking: Benefits and Ways to Get Help

Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health. It lowers your risk of cancer, heart disease, and lung disease.

Here is the key message: it is never too late to quit. CDC says quitting lowers your risk of heart disease, cancer, and lung disease.

Quitting can be hard because nicotine is addictive. But you do not have to do it alone. Proven tools and free help are available.

Smoking harms almost every organ in the body. When you quit, your body begins to recover.

Quitting:

• Lowers your risk of many cancers, including lung cancer
• Lowers your risk of heart disease and lung disease (such as COPD)
• Improves your overall health

Every day without smoking is a gift to your future health.

There is no single "right" way to quit. What matters is finding an approach that works for you. You can use more than one method.

Common ways to quit include:

• Counseling or coaching. Talking with a trained counselor helps you plan, spot triggers, and stay on track.
• Quitlines. Free phone support connects you with a counselor from home.
• Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). CDC lists the patch, gum, lozenge, nasal spray, and oral inhaler.
• Prescription medicines. CDC lists FDA-approved prescription medicines, such as varenicline and bupropion SR. A doctor prescribes them.

CDC describes combining counseling with FDA-approved medicine. Ask your care team which mix is right for you.

You can get free, private help by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669).

When you call, you can speak with a trained counselor. They help you make a quit plan that fits your life.

There are also free websites and apps with tips, tools, and support. Your healthcare team can point you to trusted resources.

When you stop smoking, your body has to adjust to life without nicotine. This can cause withdrawal for a while.

Cravings are the most familiar part of withdrawal. Smokefree.gov says the worst withdrawal symptoms usually last less than two weeks, and that cravings fade the longer you stay quit.

CDC says counseling combined with FDA-approved medicines is a way to get through this. Tell your care team if withdrawal feels too hard to manage.

A slip does not mean you failed.

If you smoke again after quitting:

• Be kind to yourself.
• Think about what led to the slip.
• Make a new plan and try again.

Your healthcare team can help you learn from setbacks and keep going.

A plan can turn a big goal into small, doable steps. You do not need a perfect plan, just a starting point.

A simple quit plan might include:

• A quit date. Smokefree.gov suggests a day within the next two weeks.
• Your reasons. Write down why you want to quit, and keep them handy.
• Your triggers. Notice the times, places, or feelings that make you want to smoke.
• Your backup. Decide what you will do instead when a craving hits, such as taking a walk or calling a friend.
• Your support. Line up a counselor, quitline, medicine, or all three.

Sharing your plan with your healthcare team lets them tailor it to you. They can suggest the right medicine, adjust your approach, and check in on your progress.

Some people feel it is not worth quitting after smoking for many years. CDC says it is never too late to quit, and NCI says people who quit, regardless of age, are less likely to die from smoking-related illness.

Whatever your age and however long you have smoked, quitting is worth it. Your healthcare team is ready to help you take that first step.