Listen to your body

Smoking has many effects on your body and perhaps you’re already noticing signs and sounds that could lead to serious harm. If you’re feeling worried, book an appointment with a GP.

Do you experience any of these symptoms?

A phlegmy cough

The chemicals in cigarette smoke can damage the microscopic hairs in your airways which are responsible for helping keep your lungs clean. When they’re damaged, they can’t clean your airways, and that’s why you're coughing up phlegm.

If you have a persistent cough, this could be an early sign of a long-term lung disease like chronic bronchitis or emphysema.

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Quitting smoking is the single most important thing you can do to slow the progression of these types of lung diseases, or prevent them entirely.

Wheezy breathing

If you have a wheeze that isn’t going away, don’t ignore it.

Wheezing could be the first observable sign of emphysema or chronic bronchitis.

With emphysema, the poisons in tobacco smoke damage the lungs by narrowing the tiny airways, making it harder to get air in and out.

With chronic bronchitis, small particles in tobacco smoke irritate your airways and create a build-up of mucus. This causes you to cough and wheeze.

These diseases get worse over time and can stop you doing the things you love most.

The best action you can take to keep your lungs healthy is to quit smoking.

Gum disease

People who smoke are at a higher risk of gum disease, losing teeth, tooth decay and experiencing complications after dental procedures.

These issues are serious and harder to treat the longer you smoke. Quitting sooner can help reduce the impact of smoking on your oral health.

DRosenbach (talk) (Uploads), CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Long term effects of smoking

When you smoke, the impact on your body adds up and can lead to the development of many serious conditions. The good news is, as soon as you quit, your body starts to repair itself.

Find out your level of
nicotine addiction

Nicotine is the ingredient in tobacco which makes it so addictive and is why you want to keep smoking. By taking this quiz, you can find out how dependant on nicotine you are, and the tips and strategies you can use to start your quitting journey.

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8 - 10 High to very high dependence   

It sounds like you may have a high addiction to nicotine. But don’t worry, you can quit!

A great place to start for you is chatting to your doctor or pharmacist about stop smoking medications such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products. These help to reduce your symptoms of nicotine withdrawal so you can take back control.

It’s also important to know your triggers to smoke and learn ways to beat them. With some simple lifestyle changes, you can break your old habits and increase your chances of quitting for good. There are many different ways to get support, explore your options today.

5 - 7 Medium to high dependence 

Based on your answers, it seems likely you have an addiction to nicotine and might benefit from some extra help to fight withdrawal symptoms. If this sounds like you, chat to your doctor or pharmacist about stop smoking medications such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products. These can help to get you through any tough days at the beginning.

You will also need skills to beat the triggers you face day-to-day, like hanging out with certain friends or smoking for stress relief.

There are many different ways to get support, find out what’s right for you.

3 - 4  Low to medium dependence

It sounds like you have some level of addiction to nicotine. Start your quit attempt by learning about your triggers and ways to beat them. You can also make yourself a free, personalised Quit Plan to help keep yourself on track.

If you experience withdrawal symptoms when trying to quit, chat to your doctor or pharmacist about stop smoking medications such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products. These can help to get you through any tough days at the beginning.

0 - 2  Low dependence

You probably have a low addiction to nicotine, or might not be addicted to nicotine at all. The good news is, you are unlikely to experience some of the common withdrawal symptoms, like headaches and coughing.

But addiction has two other parts which can still make it feel tough to quit, and these are your habits and emotions. For example, if you usually smoke when you’re stressed, you might feel more irritable or anxious when quitting. Luckily these feelings only last a short time, and you can prepare for your triggers to make it easier to stay smoke-free for good. Try our step-by-step quit planner to set yourself up for success.

Hear from past smokers who listened to their body and quit smoking

Quitting smoking is hard, but with the right support and motivation you can achieve your goal.

Is your body telling you it’s time to quit?

If you’ve noticed these symptoms, it’s important to book an appointment to visit a GP. Even if you haven’t, quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health, and you’ll save a lot of money.

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Create your quit plan

Free Quit Support

Talk to the Quitline

The Quitline is a confidential telephone advice and information service for people who want to quit smoking.

My QuitBuddy App

The My QuitBuddy App tracks your quitting progress, such as days smoke-free, cigarettes avoided, health gained and dollars saved.

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Proven Tips To Quit

Some people think quitting is about willpower, but to quit successfully means being prepared, and understanding your smoking triggers.

Find tips on quitting