08 self-help tips to quit smoking

8 cheap ways to quit smoking easily

Make a list of reasons to stop smoking

Before you quit, sit down and think of exactly why you want to stop smoking. That way, when you're feeling the strain, you can go back and look at your reasons and hopefully stay strong.

Try and make the list of reasons that are personal to you, as they'll be more likely to resonate with you in times of crisis. It's worth keeping the list on your phone so you have the reasons to hand when you need a reminder.

Bin your ashtray and lighter

It's always going to be more tempting to smoke if you still have all the smoking gear around you.

Safely dispose of your ashtray, lighter and (if you haven't already) your last cigarettes. This way, even if you do fancy a quick puff, you won't be able to.

Tell everyone you will quit smoking

Sure, it might begin to get on your nerves that everyone is on your case when you go for a sneaky one. But it will help you keep your motivation up if you know your family and friends are there to support you while you try to quit, too.

Some of them may have stopped smoking themselves and can relate to how you're feeling. They can offer advice and guidance on how to approach the moments when you're tempted to have a cigarette.

Get your friends to join you

If you live or socialise with a lot of smokers, it's worth trying to convince them to stop at the same time.

Not only will not being around smoke make it easier for you to resist the temptation, but it's also great to have a support network of people who are going through it with you.

You'll all be quids in at the end of it too, so you can celebrate together!

Use Stoptober NHS and quit smoking apps

Perhaps one of the best and cheapest resources to help you stop smoking is by using this totally free NHS service also known as Stoptober.

There's a website packed full of advice and tools to help you quit, a helpline for further support and advice, as well as the option to order a free help to quit kit. And, of course, there's the Stoptober app which has a four-week programme, tracking how much money you're saving.

If the NHS's app doesn't do it for you, there are lots of other apps out there to try, including Smoke Free, Kwit and Quit Genius. These rely on a similar diary method and track the pounds you're saving, and they give a little positive reinforcement for when the process feels tough.

Use nicotine replacement products

One of the hardest things about stopping smoking is the lack of nicotine in your system.

If you're finding it hard to control your cravings, there are a whole host of nicotine replacements such as gum, patches, lozenges and sprays that will make the weaning process that bit easier to handle.

They work by giving you a hit of nicotine, just like a cigarette, but without all the nastiness of tar and carbon monoxide. They're also much less addictive – people who opt for microtabs, for example, can find them to be effective aids for stopping smoking.

Try vapes and e-cigarettes

Not all vapes and e-cigarettes are regarded as medical devices to help cut down nicotine consumption, but the ones that are will be clearly marked with what is known as a 'CE marking' (certification to European conformity).

Most e-cigarettes are designed to look similar to the real thing – you use them in exactly the same way, delivering a nicotine hit to your lungs through water vapour as opposed to tar-filled smoke.

Try prescription medication

As well as nicotine replacement products, there are also two specialist medicines available: Zyban and Champix. You can only get these on prescription, so you'll need to have a chat with your GP before getting them.

Zyban helps to reduce withdrawal symptoms, so if you opt for this, you'll start taking the tablets one to two weeks before you quit smoking. It's not clear exactly how Zyban actually works on the brain, but it's thought to regulate the part which controls addictive behaviour. Treatment usually lasts between seven to nine weeks.

You also start taking Champix while you're still smoking and set a date to stop over the course of a few weeks. Champix works by blocking your body's cravings and by blocking the 'high' you feel from smoking a cigarette. Treatment is a bit longer and lasts around 12 weeks.

According to the NHS, Champix seems to be the most effective medicine to help people quit smoking.

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