Living smoke-free

No matter how long you’ve smoked, choosing to quit brings health benefits that begin right away and continue to improve your future wellbeing – even after a cancer diagnosis.

Here’s what you can expect once you’ve stubbed out your last cigarette:

• 12 hours: Carbon monoxide levels in your blood have dropped significantly, meaning your body can take and use oxygen more efficiently.
• 5-7 days: Most nicotine is out of your body and your sense of taste and smell improve.
• 1 month: Your skin appearance is likely to improve.
• 2-3 months: Lung function and blood circulation start to improve.
• 1 year: Your risk of coronary heart disease is cut in half compared to if you had continued smoking.
• 5 years: Your risk of stroke reduces dramatically, and the risk of mouth, throat, oesophagus, and bladder cancer drops by half.
• 10 years: Your risk of lung cancer is cut in half compared to if you had continued smoking, and this risk continues to decrease.
• 15 years: Your risk of heart attack and stroke matches that of someone who has never smoked.

Second-hand or passive smoke can be even more toxic than the smoke inhaled directly from a cigarette, because lower temperatures allow more toxins to be present. Evidence suggests that side-stream smoke – that is, the smoke that comes from the burning end of a lit tobacco product such as a cigarette – may become more harmful as it changes from fresh to stale.

If you don’t smoke, but you do spend time with smokers, your health can still be compromised. Second-hand smoke causes immediate adverse effects on the cardiovascular system, which have short-term and long-term impacts.

The short-term effects of passive smoking can include a sore throat, itchy eyes, coughing, headaches, nasal irritation, and shortness of breath. Long-term exposure can lead to more serious health problems such as lung and other cancers, coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, respiratory issues such as asthma. Babies and children are especially vulnerable, because their lungs and immune systems are still developing.

To protect your family, keep your home and car smoke-free.

Vapes – also known as e-cigarettes – are devices that heat a liquid to create a vapour that users inhale. Vaping can lead to addiction, poisoning, acute nicotine toxicity and lung injury. Young people who try e-cigarettes are five times more likely to start smoking, compared with those who have never vaped. Vaping is harmful, with growing evidence suggesting there are short-term health risks (see facts about vapes below).

The liquid used in vapes typically contains a mix of propylene glycol, glycerol, nicotine, and flavourings. These devices consist of three main parts: a battery, an atomiser, and a fluid cartridge.

• Studies increasingly show that e-cigarettes emit harmful substances. A single vape can contain the same amount of nicotine as 50 cigarettes.
• The National Health and Medical Research Council warns that e-cigarettes may expose users to chemicals and toxins like formaldehyde, heavy metals, particulate matter, and flavouring chemicals, which could lead to harmful health effects.
• When the chemicals propylene glycol and glycerine, which can be found in e-cigarettes, are overheated, they produce dangerous levels of cancer-causing substances formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. 
• Liquid nicotine is classified as a ‘Dangerous Poison’ (schedule 7 – Federal Poisons Standard). It can only be sold for therapeutic use if it has been approved by the TGA.
• The importation of disposable vapes are banned in Australia.
• Vapes are only legally available behind the counter from a pharmacist.
• E-cigarettes or vapes cannot be sold to children under 18 years of age.
• There is evidence that e-cigarettes may help some people to quit smoking when used under the close supervision of a doctor providing quit support.
• The Therapeutic Goods Administration has not approved any e-cigarette product as a cessation aid to help with quitting smoking.
• Since 2013, vaping use has grown across almost every age group in our communities.
• More than 30% of young Australians (14-17 year-olds) have tried vaping, and nearly 60% of current e-cigarettes users are under 30.
• Over 60% of 15-24-year-olds had never smoked when they started vaping.

Smoking is addictive, and many smokers find quitting difficult. It can often take a few tries, but each attempt offers valuable lessons and brings you closer to living smoke-free for good.

There are several approaches you can take if you want to quit smoking:

• Cold turkey (quitting all your cigarettes at once)
• Cutting down
• Nicotine replacement therapy such as nicotine gum, patches, lozenges, tablets or inhalers. Your doctor or pharmacist can explain how these products work.
• Prescription medications can help to reduce withdrawal symptoms such as cravings, irritability and anxiety.

• Set a quit date to mentally prepare yourself for becoming a non-smoker. In the weeks leading up to it, track your smoking habits to better understand how often you smoke and identify your triggers.
• Write down your reasons for quitting and keep them with you – refer to them when cravings hit.
• Stay busy by finding tasks or activities to distract yourself during a craving.
• Remove any items that might tempt you to smoke, like cigarettes, lighters, and ashtrays, from your home.
• Reach out for support – ask friends and family to help keep you on track. If you live or work with others who smoke, encourage them to quit with you.
• For extra support, contact Quitline at 13 Quit (13 7848), or visit Quithq.initiatives.qld.org.au for more resources.

Saying goodbye to smoking can be hard, but you don’t have to do it alone. When you’re ready to quit, there are many support services available to help you.

Reach out to Quitline 13 QUIT (13 7848) or speak to a health professional. These services can help you:

• Better understand why and when you smoke.
• Choose a way to quit that is safe, effective and suits you.
• Learn more about what to expect after quitting, including coping with withdrawal symptoms.

It can also be useful to ask family and friends to help keep you on track. If you live with others who smoke, try to encourage them to quit with you so you can support each other.

The smoking cessation pathway is a helpful resource for staff in the social and community service sector to guide conversations with clients about quitting smoking. Download the pathway and follow the simple steps to support your clients to quit.

A well-rounded smoke-free policy can help your organisation create a supportive environment for both staff and clients who are trying to quit smoking. Smoke-free spaces protect non-smokers from the harms of second-hand smoke while also supporting smokers in their journey to quit and reducing overall cigarette consumption. A smoke-free policy should include:

• A clear rationale for the policy.
• Information about smoke-free areas and any designated outdoor smoking zones.
• Available support for staff and clients who want to quit smoking.
• A procedure for handling non-compliance with the policy.