I don’t smoke much, so I can quit whenever I want.

Most teens think it’s easy to quit. ^[2]   They may smoke only on weekends or when they are at school. Because they smoke occasionally, a lot of young people believe that it will be easy for them to quit. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Most youth who smoke want to quit but few succeed. One study found that among youth who smoke, 77 percent have made one or more serious quit attempts in the last year but few of these are successful.^[3]

Why is quitting so hard?

Quitting smoking is all about overcoming your addiction to nicotine. Nicotine is one of the most cunning and devious chemicals ever known to man. Cigarette makers add it to cigarettes because when it is absorbed into your system, it makes its way to your brain and activates a key brain chemical called dopamine. ^[4]  Dopamine makes your brain feel happy, but the party doesn’t last long. In order to keep things rocking, you are forced to light up again and again and again. Every cigarette you smoke causes you to become more and more addicted to nicotine and it gets harder and harder to quit.^[5]

What is the best way to quit smoking?

Quitting smoking is different for everyone and there is no foolproof way to kick butt. Some people quit cold turkey – they just get up one day and quit on their own. Others need support through special medication such as nicotine replacement therapy or by getting together with other people who are quitting at the same time. If you want to be successful when you quit, you need to think carefully about what approach (or combination of approaches) will work best for you.

My Dad wants to quit smoking. How can I help him?

The first thing you should do is give him a big hug and tell him how proud you are!!!  Then, step back and remind yourself that quitting is your Dad’s decision and he will need to quit in his own way. It will be really important for you to recognize the unique process he is going through.

Help Dad to set goals he can achieve and hold him accountable to them!  Remind him that you are there for him and help him come up with smoke-free activities that you do together. For example, get active together; go to a movie or do some other healthy, smoke-free stuff.

If he starts again, don’t get angry, encourage him to keep trying. Most people make several attempts to quit and each time they get that much closer to becoming a non-smoker.

Is it true that you will gain weight if you quit smoking?

A lot of teens, especially girls, smoke because they think it might help them lose weight. This is just not true. Nicotine can lower your appetite^[6] but it won’t help you lose weight. A study at the University of Memphis (USA) showed that smokers gained as much weight as non-smokers in the same age range.^[7]

If you are worried about gaining weight if you quit smoking, why not try thinking about going smoke-free as part of a new healthier way of living?  You will be able to breathe more easily when you quit and you will feel better when you exercise. If you get the munchies, choose low fat, low calorie foods to beat the craving like apples and carrots. Chew sugar-free gum. Don’t forget to reward yourself by spending your cigarette money on something fun like that cool new sweater you’ve been eying at the mall.

How can I quit if all my friends smoke?

This is one of the biggest challenges for teens since a lot of young people usually smoke only when they are out with their friends. Your friends are important to you and you probably don’t want to lose them. Rather than becoming a hermit, you will need to think about ways that will make it easy not to smoke when you are out with friends that smoke.

Why not suggest that you go to smoke-free places such as community centres, coffee shops or sports facilities? Take up smoke-free activities such as rollerblading, baseball, hiking or swimming. Remember that if they really are your friends they will support your decision not to smoke. If you find they are pressuring you to keep smoking, it might be time to think about spending more time with your non-smoking friends.

Where can I get support to quit?

Quit 4 Life is an online quitting smoking program designed just for youth. 

The Canadian Cancer Society’s Smokers Helpline is a great resource for people of all ages who want to quit smoking.

Here is a link provided by the Smokers Helpline that you can use to find out what specific quit smoking resources are available in your community:  http://info.cancer.ca/e/shl/shlshowresults.asp?pc=K4M