Tobacco and smoking cessation
Slang
Cigs, ciggies, fags, rollies, smokes, various brand names.
Description
It's drug effect is caused by nicotine, a mild stimulant. Can be smoked in cigarettes, pipes or cigars, chewed, or powdered and taken as snuff. Tobacco comes from the leaves of the tobacco plant. It contains nicotine which is highly addictive. It's nicotine that gives smokers their 'hit'.
Possible short-term indicators
- Reduced appetite in some - can help in terms of weight loss when people are dieting.
- Widely used for socialising; group dynamic around sharing from a packet.
- Some people use smoking to reduce stress - this can simply be reducing the craving for nicotine).
- Narrowing of blood vessels, increase in heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and release of adrenaline.
- Increased risk of respiratory diseases, including cancer, and heart or circulatory disorders. At least 125,000 tobacco related deaths per year. A quarter of all young male cigarette smokers will die 'before their time' due to tobacco.
- Employment implications around non-smoking environments.
Possible longer-term indicators
- Death - well documented. No scare mongering.
Harm reduction
- Don't inhale so deeply.
- Cut down on the number you smoke.
- Be aware of the effects of smoking on your baby and passive smoking generally.
Legal status
Sale restricted to those over 16 years by the Children and Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco) Act 1991. However, even children who cannot legally be sold tobacco can legally buy, process and smoke it.
Smoking cessation
NHS go smoke free video
Go smokefree offers different services and support to help you stop smoking.
Local smoking cessation services
Local smoking cessation services can be found at http://www.givingupsmoking.co.uk or Telephone 0800 169 0 169
Leaflets
Websites
Smoking cessation helplines
Leaflets
Giving up for life booklet
A self-help guide designed specifically for those who have already made the decision to give up smoking. The guide covers all areas to inform and support the reader through the stage of giving up smoking.
Giving
up for life Booklet (1579 KB) 
Need help giving up smoking leaflet
A leaflet designed to encourage smokers to take a further step towards giving up smoking.
Need help giving up smoking (169 KB)
Secondhand smoke leaflet
Leaflet providing information on the dangers of secondhand smoke.
Secondhand smoke leaflet (902 KB)
P is for Protecting babies and children from secondhand smoke
A leaflet with tips for smokers living with children
P is for Protecting babies (100 KB)
Websites
Don't give up giving up
When you go smokefree, you are up to four times more likely to succeed if you use NHS support and stop smoking medicines such as patches or gum to manage your cravings.
This website contains detailed information about the free NHS support services, and videos from real quitters talking about what worked for them. You can find out about all of the options and make the right choice for you.
Tobacco Fact File
Tobacco FactFile presents key facts and data about tobacco.
http://www.tobaccofactfile.org/
Action on Smoking and Health
ASH works to secure public, media, parliamentary, local and national Government support for a comprehensive programme to tackle the epidemic of tobacco-related disease.
No Smoking Day
The official website for No Smoking Day.
http://www.nosmokingday.org.uk/
QuitNow Australia
Australian anti-smoking site - with gory images not for the faint hearted.
Wired for Health
Wired for Health, has been developed for teachers in schools to provide accurate information on health, the Healthy Schools Programme and on national health policies and initiatives.
http://www.wiredforhealth.gov.uk/
Smoking cessation helplines
| Helpline | Telephone number | Opening hours |
| NHS England | 0800 169 0 169 | 12pm-12am 7 days |
| NHS Pregnancy Smoking Helpline | 0800 169 9 169 | 1-9pm 7 days |
| Quitline | 0800 00 22 00 | 1-9pm Mon-Fri1-5 pm Sat-Sun |
| Roy Castle Fag Ends | 0800 195 2131 | 9am-10pm Mon - Fri 9am - 1pm Sat |
| NHS Bengali Quitline | 0800 00 22 44 | 1-9 pm Mon |
| (As above) | 0800 169 0885 | 1-9 pm Tues |
| NHS Gujarati Quitline | 0800 00 22 55 | 1-9 pm Tues |
| (As above) | 0800 169 0884 | 1-9 pm Tues |
| NHS Hindi Quitline | 0800 00 22 66 | 1-9pm Weds |
| (As above) | 0800 169 0883 | 1-9pm Tues |
| NHS Punjabi Quitline | 0800 00 22 77 | 1-9 pm Thurs |
| (As above) | 0800 169 0882 | 1-9 pm Tues |
| NHS Turkish & Kurdish Quitline | 0800 00 22 99 | 1-9 pm Thurs & Sat |
| NHS Urdu Quitline | 0800 00 22 88 | 1-9pm Fri |
| (As above) | 0800 0169 0882 | 1-9pm Tues |