Interactive Tool: How Much Is Smoking Costing You? - What's next?
Quitting smoking can be difficult, especially if you have been smoking for a long time. It may take several tries before you succeed. But even if you have a strong dependence on nicotine, it is still possible to quit. And even if you have smoked for many years, quitting smoking now can still increase your life span and improve the quality of your life.
The best way to stop smoking is to get help and to follow a plan. You can increase your chances of quitting if you:
Smoking: Drop the Habit Without Picking Up Weight
Quitting smoking and weight gain have long been linked. But when you kick the butts, is it inevitable yours will expand? True, four out of five people who smoke gain some weight. On average, people who quit gain between 4-10 pounds. Most weight tends to be gained in the first six months after quitting. The fear of weight gain is so great many smokers cite it as the reason they continue to puff away. Although the benefits of quitting far outweigh the possibility of extra pounds, few want to...
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- Take medicines such as bupropion (Zyban) or varenicline (Chantix).
- Use nicotine replacement therapy (gum, lozenges, patches, or inhalers).
- Get counseling (by phone, group, or one-on-one).
Taking medicine and getting counseling works even better for quitting smoking.
Source: Healthwise (2004). Cost of smoking calculation formula: (Average number of cigarettes smoked per day/20) X (Cost for a 20-cigarette pack) X 365 X (Total number of years the person has smoked or intends to smoke).
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
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