When to quit smoking?

Written by Dr. Kate McCann
27th October 2022

My email today included a weekly update listing top/interesting medical studies. One link was titled: “What’s the Best Age to Stop Smoking?” – essentially just #clickbait for an actual study in JAMA with the much-less catchy”Association Between Smoking, Smoking Cessation, and Mortality by Race, Ethnicity, and Sex Among US Adults”

 
What’s the take-away? The race, ethnicity, and sex part aren’t as important as just confirming what we already knew: the sooner any person stops smoking, the fewer health problems from smoking the person is likely to have.
 

What’s the best age to stop smoking? Today. TodayYearsOld. Today is the youngest you will ever be again.

If you are a #smoker or #exsmoker, it will come as no surprise that #smokingcessation can be one of the hardest things to do.
 
What works? We know that #nicotinereplacement, #CBT, #groupsupport and sometimes even medication can be helpful. Ask for help if you need it. Cold turkey with no support isn’t necessary.
 
What does not work? Do not use #vaping to quit smoking. Too many smokers get off cigarettes using #vape, only to find themselves with a new and equally costly addiction that still poses health risks.
 

What really works? Never starting. If you are a parent, have a honest discussion with your pre/teens about risks of addiction, smoking, and vaping – as well as the risks of misuse of nicotine products. Is nicotine actually healthy for you?

More on vaping?  Check out previous Blog:  Vaping

Comments

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Healthy Back to School: Immune-boosting and “Crechitis”

 All this week is #HealthyBackToSchool series.   It is only a matter of days before the online parent groups are full of despair at suddenly finding their young child out of school – just days after starting – with illnesses.  “Is there something going around?”  This...

Hot Lunch Controversy? Oh, let’s weight in!

My children are, again, going to get the school hot lunch programme this year. Really? Yes. Here's why: 1. Facts Not Fears: Much of the fear-mongering around the content of the lunch programme are by the same supermarket influencers and their tired, attention-seeking...

Healthy Back Loo School

An bhfuil cead agam dul go dtí an leithreas? If your child - or teen - is back to school, you've probably asked them how they like their new teacher or what day PE is.  But -- have you asked them about the toilets? Yes, it's a thing.  Look, if it's not a thing for...

Related Posts

Lifestyle Medicine Consultations

Get Started Today