10 Quit Smoking Myths Busted

10 Quit Smoking Myths Busted

The majority of smokers plan to quit the habit, just not right now. There are lots of reasons people give for not quitting. We tracked down the 10 most common myths about quitting, and some reasons to reconsider:

Myth #1 “The damage is done”

Busted: The day you quit smoking your body starts to recover. Within a week your sense of taste and smell sharpens, your lung function improves and you have higher blood levels of protective antioxidants. Ex-smokers in any age group are more likely to live longer than those still smoking.

Myth #2 “I’ll gain weight, which is also unhealthy”

Busted: It’s true some people put on weight after quitting, however a few extra kilos is nothing compared to the risks associated with smoking.

Myth #3 “I’m a social smoker so I’m safe”

Busted: Smoking just 1 to 4 cigarettes a day increases your likelihood of a heart attack by two to three times! There is no safe number of cigarettes to smoke, and overtime the body needs more nicotine to have the same effect.

Myth #4 “It’s too expensive to quit”

Busted: Whilst Nicotine patches and stop smoking medication do have a cost, you can reduce this with a prescription from your doctor. It is still far less expensive than the long-term costs of smoking.

Myth #5 “I’ll get stressed”

Busted: Nicotine cravings make you feel stressed and anxious until you have your next smoke at which point you feel calm. This is a vicious cycle. The key to less stress is to tackle the cravings.

Myth #6 “My smoking only harms me”

Busted: Second-hand smoke harms those around you. Non-smokers with prolonged exposure to tobacco smoke have a 20% to 30% higher risk of developing lung cancer. Your family and friends may also suffer if your health deteriorates because of smoking.

Myth #7 “You’ve got to die of something”

Busted: You don’t have to die prematurely from smoking-related illnesses. On average smokers die about 10 years younger than non-smokers.

Myth #8 “I knew someone who smoked all their life and lived until a ripe old age!”

Busted: This person is a rare exception as half of all regular smokers will die as a result of smoking.

Myth #9 “More lung cancers are caused by air pollution than by smoking.”

Busted: Cigarette smoking is by far the main risk factor for lung cancer, with 90% of cases in men and 65% in women caused by smoking.

Myth #10 “Everything causes cancer these days.”

Busted: This statement suggests there is nothing we can do to reduce our risk of cancer. Avoiding tobacco reduces your risk of cancer significantly, as smoking is a known cause of many cancers.

Our pharmacists at Chemistworks would love to chat and help you find the right products to quit smoking for good.  For other support call the Quitline on 137848 or visit http://www.quit.org.au/