Smokefree - Giving up smoking

WHY is giving up smoking important?

Smoking harms your heart and raises your blood pressure, which damages your kidneys.
Smoking increases your risk of developing several types of cancer, lung disease and heart disease.
Stopping smoking at any age will improve your health and may increase your life expectancy. Within 24 hours of stopping smoking, carbon monoxide (one of the chemicals in tobacco smoke) is out of your lungs. This is one of the chemicals which effects blood pressure and circulation.
After three months your circulation and breathing should have improved noticeably.
After five years, your risk of having a heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker.
After ten years, your risk of lung cancer falls to about half that of a smoker.
It’s never too late to stop smoking – you will benefit at any age.

HOW do I give up smoking?

• Get expert support from the NHS stop smoking services and find out about the medical treatments and support that is available to you. You are four times more likely to quit successfully with their help.

• Ask the staff at the kidney clinic, or your GP, to refer you to your local free NHS stop smoking service.

• Decide to stop on a certain date and a few weeks ahead of the date tell your friends and family so that they can support you.

• Throw away all cigarettes, ashtrays, lighters.