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Smoking is the leading cause of avoidable death in Ireland, according to the Health Service Executive (HSE).

January is Health Month in The Irish Times. Throughout the month, in print and online, we will be offering encouragement and inspiration to help us all improve our physical and mental health in 2021. See
irishtimes.com/health


Approximately one in five Irish adults smoke daily and those aged between 25 and 34 smoke more than people in other age groups. One in every two smokers will die from a tobacco related disease – with almost 6,000 people dying from the effects of smoking in Ireland every year.
If you quit smoking, you reduce your risk of life-threatening diseases. Within 20 minutes of stopping smoking, your circulation improves and your blood pressure and heart rate reduces. This immediately reduces your risk of a heart attack. After 24 hours, the nicotine and carbon monoxide have left your body and your sense of smell and taste will start to improve. After 72 hours, your breathing will start to improve and, after two to three months, your lung capacity could increase by up to 30 per cent.
Giving up smoking also means you’ll save money, you will have better skin, teeth and hair and your clothes will smell nicer, you improve the air quality in your home, and you become a good role model for your family and friends.
However, it’s easier said than done, so here we look at seven ways to help you quit smoking.
1) Personalized quit plan
The HSE quit plan includes a daily email and text support and a personalised web page to track your progress. When you sign up, you will also get one-to-one support from a trained stop-smoking adviser and tips from people who have already stopped smoking. Call 1800 201 203 or freetext the word QUIT to 50100. See also quit.ie.
2) We can quit
This is a 12-week programme for women who smoke and want support to quit. The courses – which will run online if not in person in 2021 – offer free nicotine replacement therapy, a weekly stop-smoking group as well as one-to-one support. Tel 1850 24 1850 or see www2.hse.ie/quit-smoking/support-services.
3) Online course
A long-established six-week stop smoking course is held at St Vincent’s University Hospital (SVUH) campus in Dublin. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, courses have moved online. The course provides group support as well as advice on stop smoking medications. “We set a quit date between week two and week three and participants find it motivating to be answerable to others in the group,” explains Ailsa Lyons, head of the Department of Preventative Medicine and Health Promotion at SVUH. Each person is given a one-to-one online session in advance to make sure there aren’t any technical issues. The next course runs on Monday evenings from 5.30pm-7pm from January 11th to February 15th. Tel:01 2214958 or email smokingservice@svuh.ie.

4) Hypnotherapy or acupuncture
There are mixed views on the value of hypnosis to quit smoking. The American Cancer Society says that while controlled studies have not supported the effectiveness of hypnosis for smoking cessation, some people have been helped. Acupuncture treatments can help reduce physical cravings for cigarettes. Studies have found that about half of those who have acupuncture treatments for six weeks successfully quit smoking. Some acupuncturists suggest having two or three treatments in the first week and then reducing sessions to once a week until withdrawal symptoms fade. Being mentally ready to quit is important.
5) Going it alone
This is arguably the most difficult way to stop smoking, but it works for some. One good tactic could be to start running, swimming, walking, cycling or a team sport you enjoy which will make you feel physically better and motivate you to continue. Using healthy distraction techniques (do deep breathing or visualisation exercises, take a short walk, drink a glass of water, eat a healthy snack) when you feel the urge to have a cigarette will also help.
6) Prescription medicines
There are some prescription medicines that can improve your chances of stopping smoking. A 2017 Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) report found that the most effective intervention to quit smoking was prescription medicines used alone or with nicotine replacement therapy. These medicines reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms including restlessness, irritability, low mood and weight gain. It’s important to see your GP before you plan to give up smoking because you need to start taking the medications before your quit date.
7) Nicotine replacement therapy
Nicotine replacement therapies give you small amounts of nicotine through their products without the other harmful chemicals in tobacco. And while it won’t help with the emotional connection you have to smoking, it can help reduce cravings and physical symptoms of withdrawal so you can focus on breaking your mental addiction. Nicorette, one of the main supplies of nicotine replacement products (gum, lozenges, patches, mouth spray or inhalers) claims that they double your chances of quitting by will-power alone. They even supply tips via a downloadable phone app. It’s important to note that you many suffer from side-effects such as headaches, nausea or coughing from nicotine replacement therapy.