I want to quit smoking. What should I do?
Talk to your GP or family nurse to help you with smoking cessation. The doctor will make a brief assessment of motivation and possible nicotine dependence and give the most appropriate guidance to set the day to quit smoking ("D-day"). It will also help you prepare yourself with a set of measures for the toughest days after quitting.
Talk to your doctor about medicines that can help you with smoking cessation.
What is nicotine replacement therapy?
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) consists of replacing the daily dose of nicotine usually consumed. The treatment lasts from 8 to 12 weeks and is non-prescription.
Which smoking cessation medications are reimbursed?
Bupropion is a 1st-line drug that selectively inhibits neuronal reuptake of nicotine-related neurotransmitters (noradrenaline and dopamine). The duration of treatment is 8 to 12 weeks and requires a mandatory medical prescription.
Where are there smoking cessation consultations?
Quit smoking with the help of the National Health Service at:
- Northern Regional Health Administration
- Regional Health Administration of the Center
- Regional Health Administration of Lisbon and Tagus Valley
- Regional Health Administration of Alentejo
- Regional Health Administration of the Algarve
Refer to the list of smoking cessation consultations available in the various regional health administrations.
I want to take a medication to quit smoking. What should I do?
You should talk to your doctor who, depending on your health condition, will be able to medicate you in the most appropriate way.
What are the benefits of quitting smoking?
Quitting smoking has immediate, medium and long-term benefits, not only for the person, but also for those who live with them, such as:
- reducing the risk of lung cancer and many other types of cancer
- Reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease
- reduction of respiratory symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath (although these symptoms may not disappear completely, they will not continue to progress with the same intensity as those who continue to smoke)
- reducing the risk of developing some lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Reduced risk of infertility
Benefits at the time you quit smoking:
- After 20 minutes: Blood pressure and heart rate return to normal
- After 12 hours: Carbon monoxide levels in the blood return to normal
- After 2 weeks to 3 months: you start to breathe better and feel more energy, blood circulation improves, the risk of myocardial infarction decreases, smell and taste improve, and diabetic patients start to better control their disease
- After 1 to 9 months: gradual increase in general well-being, accompanied by more vitality, coughing and shortness decrease and breathing becomes easier
- After 1 year: The risk of heart attack decreases to about half that seen in people who continue to smoke
- After 2 to 5 years: the risk of stroke decreases to be similar to that of people who do not smoke, the risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, oesophagus and bladder is halved after 5 years
- After 10 years: you are 50% less likely to have lung cancer than people who continue to smoke, the risk of pancreatic and kidney cancer decreases
- After 15 years: the risk of coronary heart disease is similar to that of a non-smoker, of your gender and age
What are the benefits for young people of quitting smoking?
For younger people, the first benefit of quitting smoking is to avoid tobacco dependence, because the earlier a young person quits tobacco, the less likely they are to smoke in adulthood. Adolescents who smoke are more likely to consume alcohol and other illicit substances. Young people who decide to quit smoking:
- maintain adequate lung development
- maintain their physical fitness, good endurance and good sports performance
- reduce the risk of respiratory complaints and the severity of respiratory diseases
- If they suffer from asthma, they have fewer attacks and better control the disease
What are the benefits for pregnant women of quitting smoking?
If you're pregnant, quitting smoking has benefits for you and your baby:
- increases the likelihood of a vaginal delivery
- The baby receives more oxygen and is no longer exposed to the toxic substances in tobacco smoke
- decreases the risk of the baby being born early or with low birth weight
- decreases the risk of medical treatment and prolonged postpartum hospital stay
- It increases the possibility of having a normal delivery and the baby being born healthy
- decreases the risk of fetal and perinatal mortality
What are the symptoms of tobacco withdrawal?
When you quit smoking, it is normal to have:
- Feeling of sadness
- insomnia
- irritability
- difficulty concentrating, restlessness, nervousness, decreased heart rate, feeling hungry
- Desire to smoke
For most people, the worst symptoms last only a few days or a few weeks, but the craving for a cigarette can last longer. This desire is triggered by stimuli such as remembering tobacco, looking at tobacco wrappers, or people smoking. Although these symptoms can be unpleasant, lack of tobacco and withdrawal symptoms are not dangerous to health.
What are the steps to quit smoking?
Before "D-day" (first day without cigarettes):
- Make a list of the reasons why you decide to quit smoking. It may be because you want to improve your health or not have problems in the future, because you care about setting a good example for your children, to protect your family and other people, among others;
- identify the situations in which you habitually smoke, in which you feel the most urge to smoke and how you can deal with them;
- set a date to quit smoking, the "D-day";
- spread the word that you are going to quit smoking, commit to the decision, and involve others in your decision;
- until "D-day":
- Re-read your list of reasons to quit smoking
- Try to delay the first cigarette of the morning
- Eliminate cigarettes throughout the day and increase the interval between them
Don't smoke the cigarette all the way - Change habits, avoid situations where you feel like smoking
- Change your brand of tobacco to one that appeals to you less
- Don't smoke in public before picking up a new cigarette, think about whether you really need to smoke it
On "D-day" really quit smoking:
- remove all tobacco-related objects from near you;
- When you feel a strong urge to smoke, breathe deeply, control your breathing, learn to relax. Think that this desire lasts only a few minutes and that you are able to resist, because as time goes by this desire will decrease;
- Don't think you'll never smoke again, but that you won't smoke today. Maintain positive thoughts and daily goals;
- Increase your level of physical activity, such as a simple walk, which will help you feel in a better mood;
- Eat healthy. Quitting smoking can increase your appetite in the first few weeks, compensate for this tendency with a balanced and fractioned diet throughout the day;
- Decrease your intake of coffee and alcohol until you feel more liberated from the urge to smoke. Replace with tea or unsweetened infusions;
- avoid being around other people who smoke and ask your friends and colleagues not to smoke around you;
- Avoid the "dangerous" moments, those when you used to smoke and use your strategies to deal with these situations;
- Keep in a visible place the money you save daily by not buying tobacco and use it for something that gives you pleasure.
What if it relapses?
The process of change includes advances and retreats. The more times you try to quit, even if you relapse afterwards, the more likely you are to be able to quit smoking for good. Relapsing doesn't mean that you've failed, but rather that you have to try again, but now knowing a little better how to deal with difficulties.
Learn from experience. If you have relapsed, try to understand why. This knowledge is valuable to increase the likelihood of succeeding on the next attempt.
Inquire at your health centre or call SNS24 – 808242424.
Source: Directorate-General for Health (DGS)