The burning issue of quitting

With Stoptober upon us, now is the perfect time to stub out those cigarettes for good

Giving up cigarettes may be easier now than it’s ever been, thanks to smoking bans in public places, campaigns such as Stoptober and recent changes in technology. According to the Annual Population Survey, only about 12% of Brits (or 5.9 million) were still smoking in 2020. Health concerns remain one of the biggest reasons to quit, but the average smoker could also save hundreds of pounds by kicking the habit – and won’t have to deal with the lingering smell of smoke on their clothes.

Whatever your drive, it takes quitters around three months to overcome their addiction and within a year your risk of a heart attack halves. Inspired? Then it could be time for you to take the plunge and put out your ciggies for good…

the trouble With trying to quit

Smoking is one of the top 10 most addictive habits in the world, so it’s no surprise we find it tricky to stop. Almost half of UK smokers want to quit, but our 2022 New Year’s resolution attempts only lasted an average of 90 days.

As withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety and irritability creep in, going cold turkey can seem impossible. People don’t only smoke for nicotine – there’s taste, ritual and sensory experience, too. And when e-cigarettes, nicotine patches and special chewing gum don’t curb cravings, a third wish they knew about more smoke-free alternatives.

Smoking Stigma

Lighting up has developed a seriously bad reputation over the past decade. These days, half of nonsmokers admit they’d avoid kissing or dating a smoker. Almost three-quarters say smokers smell bad and more than half think they’re putting a strain on the NHS – oh dear!

A third of smokers say they’re unfairly treated because of their habit and half claim being judged only makes it harder to quit. But it’s not all bad news – most of us want to support those struggling to quit and agree more should be done to help people find less harmful alternatives to cigarettes.