Smoking is a practice where a substance, most commonly tobacco, is burned and the smoke tasted or inhaled. This is primarily practised as a route of administration for recreational drug use, as combustion releases the active substances in drugs such as nicotine and makes them available for absorption through the lungs. |
 Smoking is one of the most common forms of recreational drug use. Tobacco smoking is today by far the most popular form of smoking and is practiced by over one billion people in the majority of all human societies. Less common drugs for smoking include cannabis and opium. Some of the substances are classified as hard narcotics, like heroin and crack cocaine, but the use of these is very limited as they are often not commercially available.
Many governments are trying to deter people from smoking with anti-smoking campaigns in mass media stressing the harmful long-term effects of smoking. Passive smoking, or secondhand smoking, which affects people in the immediate vicinity of smokers, is a major reason for the enforcement of smoking bans. This is a law enforced to stop individuals smoking in indoor public places, such as bars, pubs and restaurants.
How to quit smoking
Most people find it hard to quit smoking. Quitting can be hard, but it’s not impossible. Many people like you have quit smoking. You can too. Counseling, medications, and other supports can help you quit.
If you’ve tried quitting smoking before but couldn’t do it, try again. Each time you try, it will get easier. You will be one step closer to quitting for good.
Now is the best time to quit. It’s never too late.
How should I quit smoking?
1. Pick a quit day
Choose a date within the next two weeks to quit. Don't wait for the "perfect" day – just pick a date and work with it. Put it in your calendar.
If you'd like:
* List your reasons for quitting - health, family, money.
* Write down some new hobbies you can do instead of smoking – exercise, knitting, making model airplanes- something to keep your hands and mind busy.
* Speak with friends, family, and colleagues and ask for support. Tell them about your plan to quit, so it feels more real to you.
* Start making the changes to push smoking out of your everyday life - stop smoking in the house and in the car. Make your house and car smoke-free, so no one is allowed to smoke inside.
2. Choose two or more proven quit-smoking methods
There are many proven ways to quit smoking. To boost your chances of quitting, choose more than one method. Pick what seems right for you. Each person is different. You'll know what will work best for you.
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Proven quit smoking methods:
* Join a support group for people trying to quit. Research shows that people in quit-smoking support groups are more likely to quit for good.
* Take nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). The nicotine patch, gum, lozenge or inhaler replaces some of the nicotine you usually get from cigarettes. This can make nicotine withdrawal easier to manage.
* Ask your doctor about a prescription medicine called bupropion. It’s an antidepressant that can make it easier to quit.
* Ask your doctor about a prescription medicine called varenicline tartrate. It can take away some of your craving to smoke, and make smoking less enjoyable.
* If you slip up, don’t give up. Try again, and again... keep trying until you've quit for good.
* Ask for support from your family and friends.
3. If you slip up, don’t give up. Try quitting again.
Quitting smoking gets easier with practice. Every time you try to quit, you boost your chances of quitting for good. Most people who’ve quit smoking forever had to try 5 or 6 times before they could quit for good. This is normal.
Don't be discouraged if you slip up. You are not a failure. Try to figure out what the barriers were to your quitting. Were the nicotine cravings too strong? Did you go back to smoking when you were stressed? Talk with your counselor, doctor or pharmacist about your experience. Ask yourself how you can do it differently next time. If you think quit smoking medicines will make it easier for you to quit next time, ask your doctor or pharmacist for their recommendation. Then try quitting again. Keep trying.
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