Challenges with smoking?

Thinking about quitting?

One of the best things you can do for your health is to quit smoking. Smoking can lead to long-term health issues and effects your performance on a day-to-day basis too.

The Ministry of Health's | Manatū Hauora Annual Survey shows that more New Zealanders are successfully quitting smoking. From 2021/2022 to 2022/2023, the percentage of New Zealanders smoking daily declined from 8.6% to 6.8%.

It’s not easy, but with a positive frame of mind, discipline and support, it's achievable.

The impacts of smoking

The Ministry of Health reports 5000 deaths every year related to smoking and second-hand smoke. That’s more deaths than from drowning, suicide and motor vehicle accidents combined.

Around two-thirds of smokers who continue smoking will eventually suffer significant tobacco-related illness or death. Notably, long-term smokers will die an average of 10 to 15 years earlier than non-smokers.

Most people who smoke will experience effects on their overall health at some point in their life:

• Smoking increases the risk of developing cancers of the lung, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, pancreas, cervix, colon and rectum (colorectal), stomach and bladder.
• Smoking is a major cause of vision loss/impairment.
• Smoking increases the risk of developing diseases of the urinary tract, pelvis, bladder and digestive tract.
• 40% of all strokes in people aged under 65 years are caused by smoking.
• 40% of heart disease in those under 65 is caused by smoking.
• Smokers have two-to-three times the risk of having a sudden cardiac death (when the heart suddenly stops beating) than non-smokers.
• During pregnancy, inhaled smoke enters your bloodstream and passes through the placenta to the baby affecting your baby’s health.

The benefits of quitting

There are many benefits to stopping smoking - most significantly for your health and the health of those around you. Research shows that children with smoking parents are up to six times more likely to start smoking.

The health benefits of quitting kick in very soon after your last cigarette. Once you stop smoking, after: 

• 24 hours, your risk of heart attack starts to fall, while your sense of taste and smell improves
• 12 weeks, your immune system is better at fighting off colds and flu
• 1 year, your risk of heart attack falls to half that of someone who smokes
• 5 years, your lung cancer risk decreases by almost half
• 15 years, your risk of a heart attack and stroke drops to that of someone who has never smoked

Click here to see more of these positive impacts on your health, and here to see the short and long-term benefits to your heart.

Smoking also has a considerable financial cost. Money saved by quitting will reduce your weekly bills significantly. For example, if you smoke 10 cigarettes a day and pay $25 for a pack of 20, you could save $4562 a year! Calculate the cost of how much you smoke here.

Don’t give up hope

Many people aren’t successful at stopping smoking the first time they try, but that doesn’t mean they’ve failed. It’s just the first step in their quit journey – the important thing is to keep trying and try different things. 

The first week after quitting is when you are at most risk of slipping up – if you can get through the first week without a single puff you’re 10 times more likely to stop for good.

Most people find quitting with a buddy, and with friends and whānau supporting them, provides the best opportunity for success.

Smoking cessation or nicotine replacement therapy may also help. Your doctor or nurse can help you develop a plan and provide – free of charge – a range of nicotine products to help you quit. 

Getting support

• Contact your Defence Health Centre where there are staff trained to support those wanting to stop smoking.
• Quitline is a 24/7, phone and online, nationwide service of Quit Advisors who work with smokers to make a quit smoking plan. Phone 0800 778 778 or text 4006.
• Join the Quitline blog or Facebook page for online support from others going through the same thing.
  
• For information about nicotine go to https://thelevel.org.nz/drug-information/tobacco/
• Register free on the Quitline website for supportive phone calls and regular text messages, with tips to keep on track.
• Find information and local help in your region to stop smoking with Smokefree.
• Or for those that would prefer it, phone apps such as Goal Post can help.
• Find your local stop smoking services.
• Know your smoking triggers.

How to support someone who has decided to stop smoking

Because smoking is so addictive, it's really important to support friends and whānau who are trying to quit. Stopping smoking can be challenging, and most people find getting makes a big difference in them staying smoke free.

Click here for tips for supporting someone who has decided to stop smoking.

From smoking to vaping

Quitting smoking can be tough. Vaping can be used as an aid to stop smoking cigarettes by gradually decrease the concentration of nicotine you are inhaling with fewer of the toxins that come from burning tobacco. 

Although vaping is thought to be less harmful than smoking, it’s not harmless. The long term effects of vaping are unknown, but in the short term it can cause headaches and coughs, and leave you with a dry and irritated mouth and throat.

Ideally vaping should only be utilised for a limited time period such as 1-3 months. Make sure you have a firm quit vaping date in mind.

The Ministry of Health and Te Hiringa Hauora | the Health Promotion Agency are supported by a number of other organisations in their position on vaping: