Within days of quitting smoking a person's sense of smell and taste returns, breathlessness improves, and risk of heart attack begins to decrease.
Create a free account to read this article
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
This is what smokers can look forward to in the new year if they are one of the thousands committing to a smoke free 2023.
As one of the most popular new year's resolutions, quitting smoking at the beginning of a new year can be a difficult process as social situations may trigger the desire to light up.
Flinders University health behaviour scientist Professor Billie Bonevski told ACM giving yourself the best possible chance to quit involved finding help.
"In terms of supporting people to quit, we try to put into place strategies that will assist them with both the physical symptoms of weaning off a dependency, but also the psychological and behavioral impacts of not smoking," she said.
"A combination of stop smoking medicines and behavioral counselling will double your chances of a successful quit," Professor Bonevski said.
Let your friends and family know you're thinking of quitting because this can be a really tough time of year to quit, social support is really important.
- Professor Bonevski
Professor Bonevski said it takes the average smoker 20 attempts to quit for good.
Recent census data indicates that one in ten adults are current daily smokers. Adults living in outer regional and remote Australia were almost twice as likely to be current daily smokers compared with those living in major cities.
While there has been a long-term downward trend in tobacco smoking in Australia, the popularity of vaping has raised concerns that younger people may become addicted to nicotine.
According to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) vaping has doubled between 2016 and 2019 and more young people are taking up the habit.
RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins welcomed the federal government's recent announcement of new nicotine product control measures.
"One of the main concerns held by the college is the appeal of e-cigarettes to young people and the potential for vaping to become a life-long nicotine habit. Read my lips, vaping is not a risk-free, harmless version of smoking cigarettes," she said.
"E-cigarettes are addictive and harmful products that can even prove fatal if ingested in certain amounts, something many young people are not aware of."
IN OTHER NEWS:
New Zealand recently announced a suite of ambitious laws as part of a push to make the country "smoke free" by 2025.
The laws include bans on selling tobacco to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009, punishable by fines up to NZ$150,000 ($141,744).
Professor Bonevski said Australia should follow New Zealand's lead.
"It's so impressive, it's this wonderfully bold and ambitious legislation they've introduced. It will lead to a smoke free generation."
