The negative factors associated with smoking are common knowledge - they contain over 7,000 chemical compounds including carbon monoxide, arsenic, formaldehyde, cyanide, benzene, toluene and acrolein. However surveys from ASH show about two-thirds of the 10 million adult smokers would like to stop smoking but only about 30%-40% make an attempt to quit in a given year.
The festive season is typically not seen as the time to quit smoking - yet experts are now claiming that a change in tact is necessary. 'Quit smoking while smoking' - this may sound like a contradiction, but it's a technique being tested around Europe. Smooff is new to the UK and it is a complete smoking cessation programme without medicine, nicotine replacement or side effects. A pack of Smooff contains four smoking cessation filters to place on your cigarette, which gradually reduce your intake of smoke nicotine over 28 days.
Stop smoking this Christmas with these top tips
- Try switching alcohol with water and coffee with tea for a little while. Many smokers often associate cigarettes with alcohol and/or coffee. Keep going until you don't associate these things with smoking, you can then slowly introduce wine, beer and coffee back into your everyday life.
- What brand do you smoke? Marlboro, Camel or Benson & Hedges? Try switching brand - maybe even to a brand that you don't like.
- If you don't feel you have the willpower to go 'cold turkey', then ease yourself into quitting over a month so it isn't a massive shock to the system.
- Which cigarette is your favourite, in the morning? After lunch? After dinner? Cut out your favourite cigarette of the day and try to address your urge to smoke. You can use these experiences later in order to help you stop for good.
- One final tip - place your cigarettes on top of a shelf/cupboard. This way, you will need to hurl yourself up onto the kitchen counter every time you need a cigarette.