Quitting Smoking: Why To Quit and How To Get Help

Does quitting smoking lower the risk of cancer?

Quitting smoking substantially reduces the risk of developing and dying from cancer, and this benefit increases the longer a person remains smoke free. However, even after many years of not smoking, the risk of lung cancer in former smokers remains higher than in people who have never smoked (1).

The risk of premature death and the chance of developing cancer due to cigarettes depend on the number of years of smoking, the number of cigarettes smoked per day, the age at which smoking began, and the presence or absence of illness at the time of quitting. For people who have already developed cancer, quitting smoking reduces the risk of developing a second cancer (9, 10).

Should someone already diagnosed with cancer bother to quit smoking?

Yes. There are many reasons that people diagnosed with cancer should quit smoking. For those having surgery or other treatments, quitting smoking helps improve the body’s ability to heal and respond to the cancer treatment, and it lowers the risk of pneumonia and respiratory failure (1, 9). Also, quitting smoking may lower the risk of the cancer returning or a second cancer forming (9, 10).

What are some of the challenges associated with quitting smoking?

Quitting smoking may cause short-term problems, especially for those who have smoked a large number of cigarettes for a long period of time:

Feeling sad or anxious: People who quit smoking are likely to feel depressed, anxious, irritable, and restless, and may have difficulty sleeping or concentrating.
Gaining weight: Increased appetite is a common withdrawal symptom after quitting smoking, and studies show that people who quit smoking increase their food intake (11). Although most smokers gain less than 10 pounds, for some people the weight gain can be troublesome (12). Regular physical activity can help people maintain a healthy weight.
Depression, anxiety, restlessness, weight gain, and other problems are symptoms of nicotine withdrawal (11). Many people find that nicotine replacement products and other medicines may relieve these problems (see Questions 10 and 11). However, even without medication, withdrawal symptoms and other problems do subside over time. It helps to keep in mind that people who kick the smoking habit have the opportunity for a healthier future.
How can I help someone I know quit smoking?

It’s understandable to be concerned about someone you know who currently smokes. It’s important to find out if this person wants to quit smoking. Most smokers say they want to quit. If they don’t want to quit, try to find out why.

Here are some things you can do to help:

Express things in terms of your own concern about the smoker’s health ("I’m worried about...").
Acknowledge that the smoker may get something out of smoking and may find it difficult to quit.
Be encouraging and express your faith that the smoker can quit for good.
Suggest a specific action, such as calling a smoking quitline, for help in quitting smoking.
Ask the smoker for ways you can provide support.
Here are two things you should not do:

Don’t send quit smoking materials to smokers unless they ask for them.
Don’t criticize, nag, or remind the smoker about past failures.