The surprising smoking statistics that show we’re trying our best to quit – and top 10 tips if you’re ready to say goodbye to cigarettes for good.
Capsule x Nicorette
The pandemic has been one of the most stressful times in many of our lives – and there’s only so many lockdown loaves and banana breads you can bake before you start to feel the sanity slipping away.
You’d think it would be a time when a smoker’s quitting motivation might desert them – but for millennials, a study has shown that Covid-19 and lockdowns have actually helped in some of us giving up.
Accountant Grace, a busy 33-year-old from Auckland, says that 2020’s level four lockdown helped her kick her 10-year habit, as she was able to focus on giving up without distraction and wasn’t able to access cigarettes as easy as she was used to.
“Smoking for me was such a social thing, it would always accompany the wine after work, or an excuse to have a break in the middle of the day,” she tells.
“I’d been trying to give up for so many years but it never stuck. So when we were stuck inside, I decided it was now or never.”
Grace isn’t alone – in research commissioned by Nicorette, three in four Kiwi smokers confronted their habits during the Covid-19 pandemic. The report, released this year, states that a large majority of smokers – 89% in fact – are trying to give up smoking completely, with a whopping 96% cutting down on the number of cigarettes they smoke.
Habit, the experts reckon, is the hardest part of quitting, and Grace agrees. By removing her social triggers, she was able to finally give up the smokes.
“When I wasn’t out and about I wasn’t reaching for the ciggies. Sitting around smoking at home didn’t appeal to me and I realised that it was time to disassociate the idea of socialising and smoking – and it helped that I wasn’t tempted by anyone else with a cigarette either because my girlfriend doesn’t smoke.”
Now, Grace hasn’t touched a cigarette for seven months, after cutting down the amount she smoked before cutting them out completely.
“God I wish I had done it years ago – I might have been one of those rare millennials with a house,” she laughs. “But yeah, I feel so much better – I can climb stairs without losing my breath and I can run around after our fur baby Millie. And weirdly, I feel so much less anxious – one of the reasons I would smoke during the day was to reduce anxiety, but now I can look back and see that smoking was causing a lot of my stress.”
The research also suggests that millennials in particular were keener to give up smoking, citing more awareness of their health, and the risks of smoking.
So if you’re wanting to give up, where do you start?
Tip 1: Make a date and write it down
Choose a date to quit smoking and stick with it – it’s a great way to mentally prepare to stop smoking. And better yet, write your goals and intentions down. It makes it more real, and by putting it somewhere you can see every day, it’ll help you over tough days. help you through the tough times when your resolve weakens.
Tip 2: Use the money you save on cigarettes to treat yourself
Remember, the average smoker spends around $20 a day on cigarettes, which is a whopping $600 a month. Make sure you actually see the money you save. Set up a special account or just start a ‘quitting jar’, to store the saved cash – and then for the fun part – deciding how to spend it! A post pandemic holiday, perhaps? And don’t forget to reward yourself as you go through your quitting journey by celebrating the milestones!
Tip 3: Surround yourself with support
People understand that quitting is a real challenge and requires a lot of willpower, so invite those closest to you on your journey, and surround yourself with their positive words of encouragement. And when you need it, don’t be afraid to call the experts, like Quitline or your GP. They’re here to help!
Tip 4: Identify what makes you crave a cigarette
Strengthen your willpower by limiting or skipping triggers you commonly associate with smoking, such as drinking alcohol, coffee, or tea. If that’s the case, try drinking less when you first quit.
Tip 5: Keep busy to resist the urge to smoke
Whenever you feel the urge to smoke, resist it by keeping busy. Make a list of five-minute strategies of things to do when a craving hits, like going for a walk, calling a friend, or drinking a glass of water.
Tip 8: Eat well and exercise
We know – it’s always a tip for anything! Physical activity is a great way of dealing with the stress of quitting and cigarette cravings. Walk, run, swim, or take up a new activity. Cravings can also be confused with hunger pangs. Keep fruit, vegetables, and other healthy foods handy for these moments.
Tip 9: Try Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT).
NICORETTE® offers a range of NRT products which can help tackle cigarette cravings and nicotine withdrawal symptoms throughout your quit journey. By using NICORETTE®, you double^ your chances of quitting successfully versus willpower alone.
^ Stead LF, et al. Nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD000146. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD000146.pub3.
Tip 10: Don’t fall at the first hurdle.
Psychologists have found that people persist in solving problems for longer when they’re told the problems are hard. Giving up smoking may be one of the most difficult things you’ll ever do. However, your persistence will help you succeed, even if you occasionally relapse. Remember that you’re human, and don’t be too hard on yourself!