How to Stop Smoking - A Guide to Stop Smoking

Stopping smoking isn’t easy but if you are looking to give up the ‘pernicious weed’ then this site is here to help. It contains plenty of information about smoking; why we are attracted to it, the effect on our health, the risks of passive smoking and what we can do to quit.

If you are a smoker who is looking to give up then you will find that this site does not engage in an ‘anti-smoking rant’ or pass judgement on your lifestyle. However, what this site will do is offer you advice, information and support on what is a difficult step to take.

There is something to offer everyone on this site: whether you are a parent who wants to know if your child’s school has an anti-smoking policy; a smoker who has tried to give up before but with no success; an employer wanting to know more about the smoking ban; a teenager who is facing peer pressure about smoking or if you are concerned about the effects of inhaling your partner’s second hand smoke.

People who have successfully given up smoking or who have never smoked may assume that it is an easy decision to make. But, smoking like many other things in life is an addiction and as such requires determination and perseverance in order to overcome this addiction.

Learn more about this in our About Smoking section.

And a bit of help and support can make all the difference between success and failure. It is important to have the support of your partner, family or friends whilst following a smoking cessation programme as it is very easy to succumb to cravings during this time.

Plus there is additional help in the form of the National NHS Smoking Helpline and local stop smoking services via your GP.

Our Stopping Smoking section contains more information on this.

You may have tried to give up smoking but have found yourself giving in to the urge to light up. Don’t beat yourself up about this as it is a normal part of the process. In fact, you will find that many people who have successfully quit smoking have failed on previous occasions! So it is completely normal to try more than once to give up smoking.

If you are trying to give up but have a day where you do give in to the cravings then the best thing is to accept it. We are all human and these things happen so ‘climb back on’ as they say. Think about what caused you to give in and how you might avoid that risk in the future. For example, if it was a particular social situation then avoid that situation or be doubly aware that it can cause you to lapse.

Most of us are aware of the risks to our health from smoking but this isn’t always enough to put us off. And this is more of an issue for young people who tend to assume that it will never happen to them. It is easy to think that you are immortal when you are young but unfortunately, the reality is somewhat different. Smoking can lead to a whole range of health problems such as heart disease, cancer and strokes.

These and other conditions are discussed in greater detail in our Problems with Smoking section.

Another risk with smoking is that of second hand smoke or ‘passive smoking’. This is seen as a controversial issue but there is evidence to show that being exposed to another person’s cigarette smoke can damage your health.

If you are worried about this issue or want to know more then visit our Passive Smoking section.

And another equally contentious issue is that of the smoking ban. This came into force on 1 July 2007 and required workplaces and public spaces to ban smoking. But, there are a few exceptions to this which is covered in more detail in The Smoking Ban section.

Our FAQs section contains a list of the most popular questions asked by people about stopping smoking.

If you want to know what some of the medical or technical jargon used means then visit the Glossary section. We try to avoid using too much jargon but provide an explanation if it is unavoidable.

Learn more about stopping smoking…

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