No More Excuses

Lots of smokers want to stop, but keep finding reasons to put it off. Here you’ll find some of the most common excuses – and how to overcome them.

Alternatively, if you’re trying to help someone else give up, this section will give you all the information you need to support and encourage them.

“I’ll gain weight.”

Well, you might at first. But there’s lots you can do to keep weight gain to a minimum.

If you find yourself reaching for snacks instead of cigarettes make sure you have a piece of fruit or sugar free mints to hand. Give your hands something to do, like holding a newspaper or book while you read it, for example. That should occupy your mind too.

For more tips, see Tackling weight gain

“I’ve been smoking for too long.”

It doesn’t matter how old you are, how long you’ve been smoking, or how many times you have tried to give up before. It’s never too late to quit.

In fact, if you quit before you’re 50, your risk of premature death is reduced by half over the next 15 years. See the Rewards of Quitting section and discover the benefits enjoyed by ex-smokers of all ages.

“I know people who’ve smoked heavily for years but are still healthy.”

Long-term smokers might look healthy on the outside but inside could be a different story.

For every 90 year old 40-a-day smoker who still seems healthy (and there aren’t that many), there are plenty more smokers in their 40s and 50s who are chronically ill because of it.

“I’ve tried before and failed. I know how hard it is to give up.”

The more you’ve tried to give up, the more you’ve learned about what works and doesn’t work for you.

Every time you try to give up, you’re getting closer to success. And next time, you’ll have a better idea of the sorts of situations that lead you back to smoking, so you can prepare for them in advance.

For example, if your emotions tend to lead you into temptation, you could schedule an appointment with a smoking cessation clinic for extra emotional support. Or, if you know that it’s physical cravings that get the better of you, you might consider using a NiQuitin product which contains therapeutic nicotine.

*compared to willpower alone