Smoking Cessation

If you’ve eliminated takeaways and excessive drinking from your diet, and you still find that you’re burning through money, then cigarettes can often be to blame; one person smoking 20 cigarettes a day will spend around £2000 on smoking in a single year! But while the sting to your pocket may be all you notice for the moment, smoking can also have devastating long term effects.

Why is smoking bad for you?

Everyone knows that smoking is bad, but raising your likelihood of developing lung cancer isn’t all that it does. In fact, cigarette smoking is the greatest cause of illness and premature death in the UK. Along with increasing your susceptibility of developing lung cancer, it also increases your risk of heart disease/attacks and strokes. The chemicals in cigarettes cause your skin to age faster and your teeth become stained. Studies have also shown that smokers are generally in more stress than non-smokers as they crave nicotine in between cigarettes.

If all that wasn’t enough, smoking also lowers your immunity, which is the last thing you want when battling fresher’s flu. They’ll even reduce your chance of finding that special someone, as studies show that non-smokers are three times more attractive to prospective partners than smokers. The smell of cigarettes is unpleasant and persistent, meaning smokers also spend more on washing, chewing gum, and deodorants.

Another negative thing about smoking is the cost. As a student it's already hard to budget for day to day costs, imagine the savings you would make if you quit smoking. This may be something to focus on if you are trying to quit.

Statistically, what are the risks?

Each year in the UK, around 100,000 people will die from a smoking related disease. But while it’s easy to view that risk as an abstract form of Russian roulette, it’s important to note that half of long term smokers eventually die prematurely from a smoking related disease. Those odds are distinctly less favourable. In fact, the life expectancy of a long term smoker is about 10 years less than a non-smoker, but the good news is that the earlier you quit, the better your chances become.

Where can I get help to quit?

If you’ve tried and failed with nicotine patches or nicotine gum, then help may be at hand in the form of prescription medications than can help to reduce your urge to smoke. There are currently two forms of prescription medications available to help you quit smoking in the UK, for further advice, you can discuss with your Pharmacist or GP.

Take the brave step to a healthier, happier and more attractive version of you, by visiting the Helpmequit website.

If you’re looking for more advice on how to quit, NHS Choices and NHS Smokefree are also both good places to turn to. You may also enjoy using the NHS Cost Calculator;