Why quit smoking?Stopping smoking is one of the best things you will ever do for your health. It is never too late to give up.
Using tobacco in any form is very harmful to your health. If you smoke tobacco through a cigarette or shisha, you are at increased risk of health problems such as:
Find out more about the benefits of quitting smoking, and what to expect.
Quitting smoking has been proven to boost mental health and wellbeing. It can improve mood and help relieve stress, anxiety and depression.
Every day smokers go through withdrawal symptoms which damage their mental wellbeing, these are eased by smoking but quickly return as the effect of the nicotine wears off. Stopping smoking breaks this cycle improving people’s sense of wellbeing.
The immediate impact of quitting for most smokers is a range of withdrawal symptoms that worsen people’s sense of mental wellbeing from increased irritability to heightened sense of depression. Research indicates that these symptoms rarely exceed two to four weeks.
The improved mental wellbeing happens from at least six weeks after quitting though people may well feel the benefits sooner.
There could be a number of reasons why quitting improves your mental health: one is that it breaks the cycle of nicotine dependence.
Tobacco that you do not smoke, including paan, betel quid and chewing tobacco, is not a ‘safe’ way to use tobacco. It causes oral cancer and can be as addictive as smoking, with a significant impact on your health.
Find out the risks and how you can quit.
Contact Quit Right for advice and support for quitting.
E-cigarettes are far less harmful than smoking cigarettes and can help you quit.
Find out how vaping can help you quit smoking
There are lots of ways to quit, from using nicotine replacement therapies or e-cigarettes, to free quit tools and expert support from local NHS stop smoking services.
You can put together a package that fits into your lifestyle as you are up to four times more likely to quit successfully with free expert advice and help from your local stop smoking service.
Quitting tips You have made a great decision to give up smoking. Here are some tips to help you succeed.
You can do it!
You can drop into your local pharmacy at any time for free support and advice.
Quit Right Tower Hamlets provides stop smoking services to all residents and people who work or study here in Tower Hamlets. They also provide culturally sensitive services for people from the Somali, South Asian and migrant communities who chew tobacco or use paan.
Female advisors are available, and patients can be seen one-to-one or in a group setting.
A specialist service is available for pregnant women. For those with high levels of addiction who may need extra, behavioural support is provided in groups or individually.
Clients can self-refer or be referred through their GP practice.
Health and Lifestyle Research Unit
2 Stayners Road
London
E1 4AH
Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm
Tel: 020 7882 8230 / 020 7791 1774
Email: bhnt.quitrighttowerhamlets@nhs.net.
Tower Hamlets residents can also call the Stop Smoking London helpline telephone 0300 123 1044 for free support and advice.
This is a local rate number. Lines are open Monday to Friday, from 9am to 8pm; Saturday to Sunday, from 11am to 4pm.
Visit the Stop smoking website for more information.
The NHS provides your personal quit plan. Find your free personal quit plan to help you get started.
Daily support and motivation to help you quit for good. Download from:
A confidential health advice and information service for 16 – 25 year olds with up to date information on stop smoking support.
Discover more digital apps to help keep your quit journey on track.