Ways to quit
There are more ways than ever before – make quitting less stressful and boost your willpower.
Quitting can feel daunting, especially if you have tried to quit before. But those attempts aren’t failures – they’re progress. Each one is a stepping stone, teaching you something new and moving you closer to success.
Many people try to quit smoking with willpower alone, but it’s much easier with help. Quitting aids, vaping and local stop smoking services can give your willpower a turbo-boost and help manage cravings for nicotine.
Remember – it’s not the nicotine which is harming your body and lungs – it’s the poisons and tar when you smoke tobacco. Nicotine replacement products – patches, gum, lozenges, sprays – even vapes give you a safer way to manage cravings and ease withdrawal. If nicotine helps you stay off tobacco for a while, that’s what’s important.
Numerous support options are available, providing you with ways to take control. The key is finding what works for you.
Quitting aids.
Quitting and treatments are easy to buy from shops, pharmacies and on prescription to help you quit smoking and ease cravings. These reduce withdrawal symptoms and keep your mind off smoking. Choose from:
- nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), such as patches, sprays, gum, inhalator and lozenges
- vapes – less harmful than smoking
- medications prescribed such as Cytisine and Varenciline.
Local Stop Smoking Services
Stop smoking services provide free expert advice, support and encouragement to help people stop smoking. There are free local Stop Smoking Services all across the North East who can provide tailored support and stop smoking aids for you. With their help you are around 3 times more likely to quit for good.
All of our hospitals across the region have trained advisors who can support you stay smokefree if you are a patient. They can also arrange ongoing local stop smoking support when you leave hospital to help you stay quit.
Nicotine vaping.
Nicotine vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking. It’s also one of the most effective tools for quitting smoking.
In the North East over 125,000 people have quit smoking by using a vape. If you are a smoker who has tried to quit before, vaping could help you to stop and will almost certainly reduce your risks of cancer, COPD and a range of smoking-caused diseases. Read our advice
Smoke Free – digital stop smoking support
Smoke Free is like having a friendly stop smoking advisor in your pocket.
It’s a digital stop smoking service that gives you support straight to your phone or email, whenever you need it.
You’ll get a simple, personalised quit plan, tools to help manage cravings, and with access to trained stop smoking advisors 24/7*, as well as support from other people who are quitting. It’s flexible, confidential, and designed to fit around your life. More than half of users report quitting for at least four weeks using it.
Smoke Free is available across the North East alongside other ways to quit as part of local stop smoking support.
*with premium version depending on local availability
John Stephenson manages South Tees Stop Smoking Service. Watch his advice about taking the stress out of quitting.
