Thinking About Calling It Quits?

Are you one of the 13% of kiwi adults who smoke daily? (Smokefree). If so, you’re probably not getting a lot of sympathy from your colleagues at work.

A lot of people don’t appreciate how difficult it is to stop. In fact, many experts believe nicotine is as addictive as heroin.

The comparison is not as over-the-top as it sounds; one way or another, tobacco kills up to half of the people who use it. Smoking is the largest risk factor in six of the eight leading causes of death worldwide. Furthermore, of the eight million victims every year, about 1.2 million are non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke (WHO 2019).

But all these statistics and public awareness campaigns do nothing to take the edge off the MAD cravings that go with nicotine withdrawal. If you’re thinking about taking the plunge, check out this comparison of strategies first by clicking here.

Remember, your chances of success are much higher if you get help!

The WHO has a free guide to help smokers quit here. Additionally, a great place to find tried-and-true support is at Quitline New Zealand.