BAT WCA - Can people quit smoking

Many smokers are said to be dependent on cigarettes and although they know the real risks of disease involved, they still smoke frequently and find it very difficult to quit. That said, millions of smokers have quit without any medical help, while millions of others have modified how often, where and when they smoke in the light of differing social norms. In some countries, such as the UK, there are now as many ex-smokers as smokers.

Various ways have been suggested to help people quit, including using nicotine replacement therapy (e.g. patches and gums). While all these forms of assistance may be beneficial, the most important factors in successfully quitting are the motivation to quit and the self-belief to do so.

What people should consider about quitting:

•  The keys to quitting are motivation and self-belief.
•  There is nothing so powerful about the pleasure of smoking that can prevent smokers from quitting, if they are motivated and confident in their ability to do so. Millions of people have quit smoking successfully.
•  Advice on quitting smoking is available from many sources, including public health authorities and health professionals.  Some countries have national telephone quit lines.