Stop smoking

Why stop smoking?

There are so many reasons to stop smoking

Big Benefits

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been smoking or how many cigarettes you smoke a day, stop smoking now and you will see the benefits.

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Better health

You will be more likely to live longer and stay well.

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Saving money

An average 10 a day smoker will spend over £2,500 a year.

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Improved Mental Health

Positive mood improves and depression, anxiety and stress levels are lowered.

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Healthier pregnancy

Lower risk of miscarriage, low birth weight or still birth.

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Protecting loved ones

You will no longer create second hand smoke which causes a risk of smoking-related diseases in others including pets.

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Improved sex life

Reduce the likelihood of erectile disfunction.

A white british man in his late middle age is smoking a cigarette outdoors. He is with his labrador.

Second hand smoke

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Passive smoking

Second-hand smoke is damaging to health and can be lethal.

There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke
Most of the smoke from a cigarette goes into the air from the tip of the cigarette
If you can smell it, you are breathing it in
Smoke spreads from room to room and stays in the air for hours, even if you open the windows

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Did you know?

Most cigarette smoke is invisible.

Harmful chemicals from cigarettes build up on furniture
Smoking in one room only or out of the window does not protect your family

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Smoking parents

Children of smoking parents are more likely to be admitted to hospital before they are one.

Kids have a higher risk of developing meningitis, bronchitis, pneumonia and asthma
It is illegal to smoke in a car with anyone under the age of 18
Do not forget your pets. Any pet – dog, cat, bird, guinea pigs and even fish can all be impacted by second hand smoke

Cigarette smoke contains 7,000 toxins

If you are pregnant or planning to have children, and you would like help to stop, contact us for support.

Quitting smoking will increase your fertility and make your labour less dangerous for you and your baby.

If people in your house smoke, secondhand smoke is a risk to your unborn baby. We can help them quit too.

Stop smoking when pregnant

Stopping smoking is the most important thing you can do for yourself and your baby.

There is no safe amount of smoking
It impacts how a baby grows and develops
Can cause premature birth
Up to 5,000 miscarriages a year and 2,200 premature births a year
Higher risk of stillbirth
It reduces birth weight
Smoking increases the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)
More risk of cleft lip/palate
Babies are more likely to have infections in the airways and ears
Linked to ADHD
Linked to psychological problems in childhood, disruptive behaviour, and poor educational performance

True

Nicotine is one of the most addictive drugs
Nicotine excites the brain’s reward circuitry, making them ‘moreish.’
Smokers are more stressed over the day than non-smokers because of their nicotine dependency and the relaxation a cigarette gives is a temporary relief from that increased stress
After a cigarette, the cycle of gradually worsening mood, increased irritability, and rising craving starts
In the long term, the brain re-tunes itself to having its chemistry altered and the effect of going too long without nicotine becomes more punishing
Social and cultural factors can make it easy to become a smoker and harder to quit
If you have smokers in your family or friends you are more likely to become addicted
Nicotine withdrawal can be unpleasant, but it is not physically harmful

False

Smoking reduces stress. Nicotine does make you relax, but nicotine addiction causes stress and worsening mood the longer it has been since the last cigarette, in fact, a smoker suffers more stress than a non-smoker
Occasional or social smoking is harmless. It is far less harmful than heavy smoking, but any amount of smoking increases the risk of suffering from a huge range of diseases, many of them fatal
Occasional smoking is more likely to end in regular smoking. Many smokers started this way. They thought they were in control until they were not.
Nicotine itself is harmless, it is the smoke that causes the damage. Although there are lots of toxic and damaging chemicals in the smoke it is important not to discount nicotine.
Nicotine has harmful effects on blood vessels and its many effects on the brain, including addiction, can negatively affect your mood and could alter your behaviour towards other addictive substances or activities.

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