Stop smoking in as little as 7 weeks.

According to the NHS website, smoking increases your risk of various cancers, including cancers of the throat, mouth, liver, lungs, stomach and pancreas.^[2] And this is just a fraction of the cancers associated with it. Heart disease, strokes, various vascular diseases, COPD, pneumonia and impotence in men can all be caused by smoking too.

It’s not just your own health as a smoker that’s at risk. Passive smoking (breathing in the smoke of other peoples’ tobacco) increases the possibility of all the conditions listed above occurring by as much as a quarter, with the very young at particular risk.

The symptoms of stopping smoking are immediate, and some are positive, such as your sense of smell returning and feeling more energetic. Some though are more difficult to deal with, such as cravings and irritability. In truth, everyone experiences withdrawal and the body healing itself in a different way. 

Some people experience flu-like symptoms, while others have cravings that they find overwhelming. But there are some lucky individuals that experience few problems and find that a little willpower is all they need. Knowing what you might expect from stopping smoking is good, but assumptions are best avoided so you can be fully prepared for issues you might (or might not) face.

Once you stop smoking, you’ll likely notice some positive changes in the body over time. These little milestones add up to a huge benefit to your health, and knowing what’s going on inside (and not solely focusing on the negative experiences of quitting smoking), can be a great motivator.

This is where the stop smoking timeline comes in.^[3] It takes just 20 minutes for the benefits of quitting smoking to take effect as your heart rate will return to its normal rate. After eight hours, carbon monoxide levels are halved in the body and your oxygen levels are increased. The carbon monoxide has completely left the body after two days and your lungs are beginning to recover, not to mention that your sense of taste and smell are returning to normal. The day after, your bronchial tubes can relax again, helping you to breathe more easily. 

Over the next few weeks, the blood flow to your heart has increased considerably and after just three to nine months, coughing and wheezing subside as your lung capacity increases. Long term, it takes just a year for your risk of a heart attack to have halved, and in ten years, your risk of lung cancer does the same.

As an added bonus, your bank balance is likely to swell, so you not only have the energy to do more, you can also afford it.

The first thing you need to quit smoking is the will to become a non-smoker. The second is to get advice on how best to do that. There’s no one size fits all method for quitting smoking, but there are some tried and trusted methods that a clinician or pharmacist can help with. The most likely method is with a medication or stop smoking aid, and thankfully there are many to choose from.

Quitting cold turkey can be very difficult, and the NHS website suggests that just 3% of people that try manage it, but separate studies suggest it’s the most effective method in some cases.^[4] The trick is to find the best method for you and make sure you get the best support you can, whatever route you take.

Prescription treatments have been shown to be highly effective for many people who have successfully quit smoking. While they might not be for everyone, they do provide many beneficial effects. It should be noted that they will not work alone; a commitment to becoming a non-smoker and some willpower are still needed if you choose to stop smoking this way.

The two main prescription treatments to stop smoking are Champix and Zyban, which work in different ways. These are stop smoking tablets that are taken orally.

Champix is the brand name of the drug varenicline. It works in two ways. The first is by reducing the severity of cravings that makes quitting smoking so difficult, and the second is by minimising some of the more problematic symptoms, such as mood swings and insomnia. A Champix stop smoking course usually takes around nine days before you notice its effects and lasts for 12 weeks.

Zyban is the brand name of the drug bupropion and was originally prescribed to treat depression. The science behind how it works isn’t entirely clear, but it’s understood that it has an effect on the part of the brain that’s connected to addiction. It should be started a week or two before you quit smoking and the course lasts for around eight weeks.

As well as stop smoking treatments, there are stop smoking aids that can usually be bought over the counter. One of the most commonly used are NRTs (nicotine replacement therapies). These work (you guessed it) by replacing the nicotine you’re no longer getting from smoking with products that help to wean you off the habit. They come in patches, gums, inhalators, tablets, lozenges and oral or nasal sprays, so there’s something for everyone.

Another way to wean yourself off smoking are E-cigarettes, which replaces the cigarette with an electronic device that releases nicotine without many of the harmful chemicals in tobacco. These are essentially another form of NRT, so they shouldn’t be used alongside the therapies listed above.

Hypnotherapy aims to reduce the cravings that make stopping smoking so difficult. While some people say it was key to their success, the evidence for stop smoking hypnosis therapies is mixed.^[5] 

When looking for a hypnotherapist, you should still consult your GP beforehand, and make sure that any practitioner you approach is registered with the Professional Standards Authority^[6] as hypnotherapists are not required by law to have any specific training.

You may now have all the treatments, but that is only half the story. Another important factor in how to quit smoking is support. Support can mean talking to a healthcare professional, support groups, and quitting at the same time as someone else and speaking about your experiences. According to the NHS website, you’re four times more likely to quit when you have support alongside the other methods.^[7] NHS quit smoking services are available throughout the UK.

As well as the treatments and support groups, there are some small things that you can do that add up once you’re aware of the pitfalls of quitting smoking. 

You can start by having a positive frame of mind. Focus on what it is that you’re going to achieve rather than the short term discomfort of withdrawal. 

Another helpful tip to be aware of is when you tend to crave a cigarette and prepare yourself for it. So, for example, after you’ve had a meal, distract yourself with something that engages you.

The last tip is exercise. Not only is it good for your overall health, but there is some evidence that it reduces cravings.^[8] At the very least, it can keep your mind occupied in a healthy way. 

With all these options available, a little perseverance is all it takes for you to achieve a life changing goal that you can be proud of.