Stop smoking with support
Quitting tobacco sharply lowers the risks of heart disease, lung disease and cancer.
The number, drawn
Why it matters
Stopping smoke exposure lets blood vessels and lungs recover and reduces ongoing damage that can lead to cancer. CDC reports that quitting can add as much as 10 years to life expectancy, with benefits at any age.
How to do it
- Make a quit plan with a local stop smoking service or quitline.
- Ask a pharmacist or clinician about nicotine replacement, varenicline or bupropion.
- Combine medication with counseling to manage cravings and triggers.
- If you return to smoking, use what you learned to restart your plan.
If pregnant, discuss the safest cessation options with your maternity team before using medication.
Do it
Pick the time you have. Anything beats nothing.
Start with the time you have
1 minute
Rehearse your reply to a cigarette offer: 'No thanks, I'm quitting.' Say it twice, then name the situation where you'll use it.
5 minutes
List your three strongest smoking triggers, such as coffee, stress or finishing dinner, and choose one alternative response.
15 minutes
Find your local quit service and request support. In the US, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW; elsewhere, use your national health service.
30 minutes
Draft a quit plan: choose a date, prepare responses to your triggers and list questions about medicines for a pharmacist or quit adviser.
A plan
Prepare, quit, review
- Stage 1: Arrange support and discuss suitable treatments before your quit date.
- Stage 2: On your quit date, remove cigarettes and ashtrays and use your agreed craving strategies.
- Stage 3: Review each week, keeping what helped and asking for more support after any lapse.
In real life
- Change your usual smoking break to a chat with someone who does not smoke.
- After a meal, brush your teeth instead of lighting a cigarette.
- Ask a quit adviser which support and medicines fit your situation.
Watch out for
- Common mistakeTreat a lapse as information: identify what triggered it and restart with support.
- Common mistakeAvoid choosing quit medicines by guesswork: ask a pharmacist, especially if you are pregnant or take other medicines.
Trusted guides
In Czechia
In Czechia, the Národní linka pro odvykání kouření helps you quit on 800 350 000, on working days 10:00 to 18:00.
In Germany, the free quit smoking line on 0800 8 31 31 31 is open Monday to Thursday 10 to 22 and Friday to Sunday 10 to 18, with no counselling from 24 to 26 December.
Bundesinstitut für Öffentliche Gesundheit, rauchfrei-info.de checked
In Spain, the Spanish Association Against Cancer advises asking at your health centre which stop-smoking options are available. People with cancer who want to stop smoking can call the association on 900100036.
In the Netherlands, the free Stoplijn on 0800 1995 is open every working day from 9:00 to 12:00 and 12:30 to 17:30. Chat is available Monday to Friday until 17:00.
Trimbos-instituut, Ikstopnu checked
In Poland, the Telefoniczna Poradnia Pomocy Palącym helps you quit on 801 108 108 or 22 211 80 15, Monday to Friday 9:00 to 21:00 and Saturday 9:00 to 15:00.
Pacjent.gov.pl checked
Check usSources
- Evidence grade
- A Meta-analyses of randomised trials, or a major guideline consensus.
- Basis
- Surgeon General evidence synthesis and CDC guidance on cessation benefits and effective treatments
- The number
- Quitting smoking can add up to 10 years to life expectancy (CDC, 2024)
- Outcome
- potential life expectancy gain, up to this amount
- Comparison
- quitting smoking versus continuing
- Tier 1 guidelineBenefits of Quitting SmokingCDC, 2024
- Tier 1 guidelineHow to Quit SmokingCDC, 2024
General health information, not a diagnosis or an individual treatment plan. Personalization changes the order of suggestions; it does not assess your medical risks. Follow the cautions and consult a qualified clinician when needed.