On average, smokers do weigh less than non-smokers. When you stop smoking the typical weight gain is around 2-3 kg. The nicotine from smoking acts as an appetite suppressant and smoking also increases the rate at which your body burns calories. Smokers will often replace cigarettes with snacking when stopping smoking. People often believe that smoking will help them to control their weight and be healthier. However, the risks of continuing to smoke far outweigh those from minor weight gain.

It has been suggested that smoking can help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. However, this has been largely dismissed by experts and the evidence is now suggesting that smoking increases your risk of dementia. More information can be found at the Alzheimer’s Association.

Many people believe that cutting down is a good way to reduce the health risk from smoking. This might include smoking fewer cigarettes, switching to lower strength brands or switching to alternatives to cigarettes such cigars or pipe smoking. There is evidence to show that when people smoke fewer cigarettes, they tend to smoke them harder to compensate for this thus there is no real health benefit. There is no evidence that merely cutting down as a strategy to stop makes a quit attempt more likely to succeed. The only way to really reduce the risks from smoking is to stop completely.

There is always the story about the 90-year-old whose secret to long life is 20 cigarettes a day and a tot of brandy before bed. Chances are that their long life has absolutely nothing to do with smoking. The fact is that half of all smokers will die as a result of smoking. Of the other half, some might live to an old age. However, you are far more likely to live longer if you don’t smoke. Even if you are lucky enough to escape fatal illness, smoking still increases signs of ageing, the chance of impotence and blindness and a whole range of nasty ailments that could make your golden years very unpleasant.

The younger you stop smoking, the more chance you have to benefit later. After stopping smoking, it can take 15 years to totally reduce your risk of a heart attack to that of a non-smoker so the sooner you stop, the more likely you are of reclaiming benefits over time. For a list of all the benefits of stopping over time see our benefits of stopping page.

It is very easy to get tempted into having just one cigarette once you have stopped. DON’T DO IT! This is one of the easiest ways to get back into smoking. If you really are desperate for ‘just one’ you should consider avoiding the places and situations where you find temptation. It may also help to call the Anne Penman Helpline and talk to one of our technicians who will give you advice to help deal with the temptations.