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Cutting Down to Quit Smoking: Our Expert Tips

Whether you’ve recently picked up the habit or are a long-term smoker, we all know the health dangers attached to smoking tobacco. Not only does smoking increase your risk of developing conditions and diseases like coronary heart disease and lung cancer, but tobacco use also wreaks havoc on your teeth and gums.

Additionally, if you are wondering how hard is it to quit chewing tobacco, it can be a challenging process that requires determination and support.

If you’ve decided that you’d like to quit, going cold turkey may not be the best option. Instead, it’s recommended to cut down over time to get promising results. Here are some of our expert tips on reducing smoking and, hopefully, pack in the habit once and for all.

Look Into Nicotine Replacement Therapy

Many people looking to cut down on smoking opt for nicotine replacement therapy. This can come in all different forms. Some people use nicotine patches while others prefer nicotine gum. There are also lozenges, tablets, and inhalators you can try out. Each person will have a different experience with nicotine replacement therapy, so find an option that works right for you. You can speak to your GP for further advice or visit a stop smoking centre for support.

Avoid Triggers

There are all kinds of habits we get ourselves into when smoking. Whether you light up with your cup of tea in the morning or smoke after a hearty meal, you need to recognise your behaviours and look at ways to keep yourself occupied so you don’t reach for your pack. Those who like to smoke when calling up a loved one may benefit from keeping a pen and paper nearby. You can scribble away and doodle, rather than having a cigarette.

Delay Lighting Up

If you’re trying to cut down on smoking, try and delay your next cigarette. Tell yourself that you need to wait for another 10 minutes and maybe go for a walk instead. Over time, you can build this up and eventually find you’re smoking half as many cigarettes in a day. Again, try and distract yourself when cravings set in. These simple tricks may just be what you need to get past your tobacco craving and help in cutting down.

Start Vaping

You’re sure to know someone who is a vaper. If you’ve been toying with the idea of switching to vaping, now is the time to do so. This is because vaping is considered much safer than smoking cigarettes. Also, lots of people go on to vape and eventually pack in smoking for good. Check out Go Smoke Free. They sell an assortment of vapes and e-liquids that come in all sorts of flavors. Go Smoke Free also has expert guides and blogs about why to switch to vaping. Vapes are even recognized by the NHS as a method to help you quit smoking, so why not give it a go?

We’re not going to lie and say it will be sunshine and rainbows as you start to cut down on smoking. However, we can promise that you’ll start to find it easier and easier, and eventually, may be able to pack in smoking for good.

Jeff Campbell