What’s the best way to quit smoking? (Described video)
Transcript
Text on screen: What's the best way to quit smoking?
Nicotine gum, the patch, quitting cold turkey. These are just some of the ways that people quit smoking. Maybe you've tried some yourself.
But did you know that you can combine certain quit aids together?
Text on screen: The right tools and support
Studies suggest that the right combination of tools and support can almost triple your chances of quitting smoking!
Could these methods be right for you?
Let's take a look at what the evidence suggests could help.
One winning strategy is combining nicotine replacement therapies (or NRTs).
Text on screen: Almost triples your chances of success
When you combine the patch, which is long-acting, with any short-acting NRT like nicotine gum, inhalers or lozenges, you can almost triple your chances of success!
Equally effective is pairing prescription varenicline medication with expert advice or support – whether that's one-on-one or group counselling, calling a quitline, or talking to your healthcare provider.
Some methods can help a lot on their own. Choosing any one form of NRT – say the patch or nicotine gum – can almost double your chances.
Text on screen: Some methods on their own can almost double your chances
The same can be said for prescription buproprion medication and for counselling sessions, say with a Quit Coach.
Text on screen: Other methods can improve your chances
Other newer methods, including getting support through text messages, and using the natural health product cytisine, have also been shown to improve your chances.
Text on screen: Canadians are attempting to quit smoking by vaping
What about vaping?
While vaping products have not been approved in Canada as a quit smoking aid at this point, some studies have found vaping nicotine can be more effective than NRT or counselling alone.
If you're unable to quit smoking using approved methods, switching completely to vaping can significantly reduce your exposure to the toxic chemicals from tobacco smoke.
Text on screen: The thing about cold turkey…
While many people eventually succeed by quitting suddenly without assistance, you know: "cold turkey," - it can be rough and require multiple tries.
Willpower is important but as we've seen, it doesn't have to be your only tool.
The good news is that you have a lot of options – whether you try something again, try something new or try a combination of things.
There's no wrong way to quit. The best way to quit smoking is the one that works for you!
Text on screen:
Learn more at Canada.ca/quit-smoking
Government of Canada Identifier
Canada wordmark
Page details
- Date modified: