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The Basics - Quitting smoking


           
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Try these tips to help you quit

    • Set a quit date.
    • Make a quit plan.
    • Get support from family, friends, and coworkers.
    • Talk with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about options – like counseling and medicines – to help you quit.
    • Change your routine. For example, try taking a different route to work.
    • Remind yourself why you decided to quit.
                    

Will quitting make me gain weight?

Some people worry about gaining weight when they quit smoking. The average weight gain after quitting smoking is small – about 6 to 10 pounds.

To help control your weight as you quit smoking:

  • Get active. Aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity, like walking fast or dancing.
  • Eat healthy snacks, like vegetables or fruit.
  • Talk with your doctor about ways to control your weight.

Quitting smoking is one of the most important things you can do for your health. The sooner you quit, the sooner your body can begin to heal. You will feel better and have more energy to be active with your family and friends.

Smoking hurts almost every part of the body.
 Smoking is the most preventable cause of death and disease in the United States. Smoking causes:

  • Lung cancer
  • Many other types of cancer
  • Heart disease
  • Stroke
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • Pregnancy problems
  • Lung disorders
  • Gum disease
  • Vision problems (cataracts)

 

 
                                                                                                            


 
                                
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 


You will feel better after you quit.

Your body begins to heal as soon as you quit smoking. Here are some ways you will feel better:

  • You will breathe more easily.
  • Your senses of taste and smell will improve.
  • You will have more energy.
  • Your lungs will become stronger, making it easier for you to be active.
  • You will cough and wheeze (struggle to breathe) less. 

Find out more about how quitting smoking will help your health.

What else will quitting do for me?

Quitting smoking will help you live a longer, healthier life. After you quit smoking:

  • Your risk of having a heart attack or stroke goes down.
  • Your lungs can fight off infection better.
  • Your risk of dying from cancer goes down.
  • Your blood pressure goes down.
  • Your pulse and blood oxygen level return to normal.
  • If you have kids, they will be healthier. Kids whose parents smoke around them are at higher risk for lung and ear infections. 

Read these real stories of people who have been hurt by smoking.


Secondhand smoke can cause health problems for other people, too – and even pets.

In babies and children, breathing in secondhand smoke can cause:

  • Severe asthma attacks
  • Pneumonia
  • Bronchitis
  • Ear infections
  • Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

In adults, breathing in secondhand smoke can cause heart disease and lung cancer.

How can I quit smoking?
Start by thinking about why you want to quit. If you’ve tried to quit before, think about what worked and what didn’t.

This will help you find the right quitting strategies.

Quitting smoking is hard, but millions of people have done it successfully. In fact, more than half of Americans who have ever smoked have quit. You could be one of them!


Nicotine – the drug found in tobacco – is just as addictive as heroin or cocaine. It’s the nicotine in cigarettes that causes the strong feeling that you want to smoke (craving). Remember – quitting isn’t easy, but it is possible!

Find out more about steps you can take as you prepare to quit smoking.




Page last reviewed: March 27, 2014





 

 


  
 

The Basics

Quitting smoking is one of the most important things you can do for your health. The sooner you quit, the sooner your body can begin to heal. You will feel better and have more energy to be active with your family and friends.

Smoking hurts almost every part of the body.
Smoking is the most preventable cause of death and disease in the United States. Smoking causes:

  • Lung cancer
  • Many other types of cancer
  • Heart disease
  • Stroke
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • Pregnancy problems
  • Lung disorders
  • Gum disease
  • Vision problems (cataracts)

Learn more about how smoking affects different parts of the body.

Smoking also hurts the people around you.
 

Try these tips to help you quit.

  • Set a quit date.
  • Make a quit plan.
  • Get support from family, friends, and coworkers.
  • Talk with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about options – like counseling and medicines – to help you quit.
  • Change your routine. For example, try taking a different route to work.
  • Remind yourself why you decided to quit.

Try these tips to help you quit.

  • Set a quit date.
  • Make a quit plan.
  • Get support from family, friends, and coworkers.
  • Talk with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about options – like counseling and medicines – to help you quit.
  • Change your routine. For example, try taking a different route to work.
  • Remind yourself why you decided to quit.

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Secondhand smoke can cause health problems for other people, too – and even pets.

In babies and children, breathing in secondhand smoke can cause:

  • Severe asthma attacks
  • Pneumonia
  • Bronchitis
  • Ear infections
  • Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

In adults, breathing in secondhand smoke can cause heart disease and lung cancer.

How can I quit smoking?
Start by thinking about why you want to quit. If you’ve tried to quit before, think about what worked and what didn’t. This will help you find the right quitting strategies.

Quitting smoking is hard, but millions of people have done it successfully. In fact, more than half of Americans who have ever smoked have quit. You could be one of them!


Nicotine – the drug found in tobacco – is just as addictive as heroin or cocaine. It’s the nicotine in cigarettes that causes the strong feeling that you want to smoke (craving). Remember – quitting isn’t easy, but it is possible!

Find out more about steps you can take as you prepare to quit smoking.

You will feel better after you quit.
Your body begins to heal as soon as you quit smoking. Here are some ways you will feel better:

  • You will breathe more easily.
  • Your senses of taste and smell will improve.
  • You will have more energy.
  • Your lungs will become stronger, making it easier for you to be active.
  • You will cough and wheeze (struggle to breathe) less. 

Find out more about how quitting smoking will help your health.

What else will quitting do for me?
Quitting smoking will help you live a longer, healthier life. After you quit smoking:

  • Your risk of having a heart attack or stroke goes down.
  • Your lungs can fight off infection better.
  • Your risk of dying from cancer goes down.
  • Your blood pressure goes down.
  • Your pulse and blood oxygen level return to normal.
  • If you have kids, they will be healthier. Kids whose parents smoke around them are at higher risk for lung and ear infections. 

Read these real stories of people who have been hurt by smoking.

Will quitting make me gain weight?
Some people worry about gaining weight when they quit smoking. The average weight gain after quitting smoking is small – about 6 to 10 pounds.

To help control your weight as you quit smoking:

  • Get active. Aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity, like walking fast or dancing.
  • Eat healthy snacks, like vegetables or fruit.
  • Talk with your doctor about ways to control your weight.



Take Action!

Take these steps to quit smoking.

Write down your reasons to quit.
Make a list of all the reasons you want to quit. For example, your reasons to quit might be to set a healthy example for your kids and to save money.

Keep the list with you to remind yourself why quitting is worth it.

Set a quit date.

  • Pick a date that gives you enough time to get ready to quit. But make sure it’s soon enough that you don’t lose your motivation.
  • Tell your family, friends, and coworkers about your quit date so they can support you.
  • Call the tobacco quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) for free support and to set up your quit plan.

Make a quit plan.

  • Think about situations that might “trigger” you to smoke. Plan how you will handle them without smoking.
  • Right before your quit date, go through your house, car, and workplace to get rid of anything that has to do with smoking. Throw away any ashtrays, lighters, and matches.
  • Clean your clothes so they don’t smell like smoke. Throw away all your cigarettes.

Change your routine.
Changing your routine on and after your quit date can help you break the smoking habit.

  • Try taking a different route to work.
  • For the first few weeks, avoid activities and places you connect with smoking.
  • Do things and go places where smoking isn’t allowed.
  • Make getting active and eating healthy part of your quit plan. Eat healthy snacks instead of smoking. Go for walks. Drink lots of water.

Quitting may be hard, so prepare yourself.
Remember, the urge to smoke will come and go. Here are some ways to manage cravings:

  • Do something else with your hands, like washing them, taking a shower, or washing the dishes. Try doing crosswords or other puzzles.
  • Have healthy snacks ready, like carrots, nuts, apples, or sugar-free gum.
  • Distract yourself with a new activity.
  • If you used to smoke while driving, try something new. Take public transportation or ride with a friend.
  • Take several deep breaths to help you relax.

Take this withdrawal quiz every day to see your progress.

Break the connection between eating and smoking.
Many people like to smoke when they finish a meal. Here are some ways to break the connection:

  • Get up from the table as soon as you are done eating.
  • Brush your teeth and think about the fresh, clean feeling in your mouth.
  • Try going for a walk after meals.

Deal with stress.
Manage stress by creating peaceful times in your daily schedule. Try relaxation methods like deep breathing or lighting candles.

Check out these tips for dealing with stress as you quit.

Stick with it.
When you stop smoking, you may feel irritable, anxious, restless, or hungry. You may even have trouble sleeping.

Don’t give up! It takes time to overcome addiction. Check out these tips on staying smokefree.

Learn from the past.
Many people try to quit more than once before they succeed. Most people who start smoking again do so within the first 3 months after quitting. If you’ve tried to quit before, think about what worked for you and what didn’t.

Depression, drinking alcohol, and being around other smokers can make it harder to quit. If you are finding it hard to stay quit, talk with your doctor about what medicines might help you. Remember, quitting will make you healthier.

If you want help, talk with your doctor.
A doctor or nurse can help you choose strategies for quitting smoking that are likely to work best for you.

You can also ask your doctor or a pharmacist about medicines that can improve your chances of quitting – and how to use these medicines correctly. Get more information about the different types of medicines that can help you quit.

What about cost?
You can get free help with quitting by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or by visiting smokefree.gov.

Also, some services to help people quit smoking are covered under the Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law passed in 2010. Depending on your insurance plan, you may be able to get these services at no cost to you.

Check with your insurance provider to find out what’s included in your plan. For information about other services covered by the Affordable Care Act, visit HealthCare.gov.

    Content last updated on:
    April 30, 2014