Quitting Smoking or Vaping

Quitting is one of the best things you will ever do for your health. It can affect your life in ways you may have forgotten or not even imagine.

• Withdrawal can be challenging, but it can help if you look at the symptoms as signs that your body is recovering.
• Common symptoms include: cravings, restlessness, trouble concentrating or sleeping, irritability, anxiety, increases in appetite and weight gain.
• Many people find withdrawal symptoms disappear completely after two to four weeks.
• Changing your routine can help avoid those triggers that tell your brain it's time for a smoke.
• Stop-smoking medications can help you quit smoking.

If you are thinking about quitting smoking or vaping, needing help to stay on track, or to help others with quitting, you can find more resources at Quitline or call them on 13 78 48

Benefits to your health and life from quitting smoking include:

• improvement and recovery of your sense of taste and smell, so you may enjoy your food and drink more.
• the ease of increasing your fitness and lung capacity through exercise.
• improvement of your fertility levels (in both men and women), and if you’re a woman, your chances of having a healthy pregnancy and baby will also increase.
• saving thousands of dollars annually that you can save or spend on other things.
• being free from the hassles of smoking, such as smelling of smoke, or always having to make sure you have enough cigarettes.
  
  
• Your family and friends will also benefit because:
  • You won’t put their health at risk with second-hand smoke any more
  • they will be less at risk from bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma, meningitis and ear infections, heart disease, stroke, and emphysema, and cancer (lung, throat, mouth, nose, voice box, oesophagus, pancreas, liver, stomach, kidney, bladder, ureter, bowel, ovary, cervix and bone marrow)

For more information, visit:

• Better Health Channel: for information about what to expect and how to manage symptoms caused by quitting smoking.
  • Information on how smoking kills
• Department of Health: for support resources and information.