Smoking cessation, also known as stopping or quitting smoking, is the process of discontinuing smoking and the use of tobacco-based products.
For most people, it’s not an easy process. Tobacco contains nicotine, which is a highly addictive substance. Plus, there are often some other reasons specific to the individual that makes quitting tobacco products a difficult challenge.
Here is a look at how many people are still smoking, the numbers behind those who are able to quit, and the most effective ways to break your dependence on tobacco products:
How many people are successful at smoking cessation?
According to gov.uk, in 2017 almost 400,000 smokers in England were able to successfully stop smoking.
That’s around 1,069 smokers putting tobacco products behind them every single day. Many of these who quit will pick the habit back up though, and there are new people starting to smoke every day.
It’s estimated that between 2014-2017 there were around 1 million fewer smokers. This is a positive number, as there were an estimated 6.1 million smokers for that period.
Around 60% of smokers say they want to quit. From the people who do try to quit, it’s estimated that around 51% are able to do so by using a combination of smoking cessation aids.
This number climbs to 63% for those who also use an e-cigarette as a quitting aid.
Most effective ways to quit smoking
There is no “best” way for everyone looking to quit smoking. Everyone reacts differently to different smoking cessation methods.
It usually comes down to trying a few methods to find out what works for you. The NHS outlines the most effective methods to quitting smoking as following:
Start thinking positive – Changing habits starts with having the right, positive mindset. Don’t doubt yourself, it’s important to reaffirm to yourself that you can and will quit.
Make a plan – Having structure in place to follow will help you stick to your goals. Make a plan that involves keeping busy at times when you’d usually smoke and avoiding temptations.
Drink more water and juice – Studies have shown that tea, coffee, alcohol, and fizzy drinks make cigarettes taste better. Switching to juice and water has a number of health benefits, as well as helping reduce cigarette cravings.
Change your diet – Studies have also shown that certain foods make cigarettes taste better. Meat and fast foods, in particular, make cigarettes more appealing. While healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables make them less desirable.
Keep your hands busy – People who have been smoking for some time are used to having something in their hands. Replace a cigarette with something else so you don’t feel like something is “missing”.
Prepare for lifestyle changes
Quitting smoking has a huge impact on most people’s lives. You’re going to need to make some impactful lifestyle changes, all of which are for the better.
The reason a lot of people are not successful is because they are not willing to make other lifestyle changes outside of quitting the habit of smoking.
You may have to change your social habits. Such as avoiding places that allow smoking, or even reduce the amount of time you spend around friends and family that smoke.
It’s about putting yourself first for the betterment of your health. Quitting smoking will improve your health, extend your life expectancy, and save you a lot of money in the process.