New research into the effects of smoking has found that one cigarette takes 20 minutes off a patient’s life.
A recent study by University College London, which could give patients the extra motivation they need to quit the habit, claimed that smoking is far more harmful than was previously understood.
The loss of life expectancy adds up to almost seven hours for a single pack of 20. So, if someone gave up smoking on New Year’s Day, they would already have a week of their life back by February 20.
That means 50 days of their life back after a year — which could add up to living years longer over time.
One important thing to note is that the researchers warn this only applies to people who quit completely, so just cutting down will not bring the same level of benefit.
Stop-smoking services work
Quitting smoking is one of the best things your patients can do for their health, but even the scariest statistics do not make it much easier to quit.
However, previous research has shown that patients who use a stop-smoking service like ours are three times more likely to successfully quit than those who go it alone.
Ex-smoker Kamran had tried to stop several times with no luck — but did it successfully with the help of his local stop-smoking service as a 2024 New Year resolution.
He said: “It wasn’t until I quit smoking that I realised how much it had affected my health. I often felt short of breath and couldn’t keep up with my children.
“Quitting can be challenging but keeping busy and using stop smoking products was the best way for me to get through it.
“Now that I’m smoke-free, I feel less stressed and am able to play a more active role in my family. I am proud of myself, and I feel great that I’ve managed to control it.”
How you can help
Patients need to genuinely be ready to quit smoking if they are going to be successful. Pushing them into it will not work.
But you can bring up the topic and introduce possibilities — such as joining our service and getting up to 12 weeks of free support.
This article offers more advice on guiding patients towards quitting, and you can also install our promotional posters and leave our leaflets out for patients to browse.
To determine patient eligibility and start the process, please head to our Referrers page.
Quitting smoking is a journey, and your support as a healthcare professional can make a world of difference. Together, we can help your patients embrace a smoke-free, healthier future.
