Why stopping matters
Tobacco harms almost every organ in the body. It is linked to heart disease, stroke, lung disease and many cancers, and the World Health Organization (WHO) says that no level of tobacco use is safe. Nicotine, the main chemical in tobacco, is addictive. That is why stopping is hard, and why help is worth having.
In India, many people use tobacco by chewing it or holding it in the mouth rather than smoking it. Gutkha, khaini, mawa, pan masala with tobacco, betel quid (paan) with tobacco, and tobacco rubbed on the teeth and gums, such as mishri or gul, are all smokeless tobacco. They are linked to mouth cancer, white patches and scarring inside the mouth that can turn into cancer, gum disease, heart attack and stroke. Used in pregnancy, they raise the chance of a small baby and of stillbirth.
Other people are harmed too. There is no safe level of second-hand smoke, which causes heart and lung disease in people who do not smoke themselves.
What happens when you stop
The body begins to recover almost at once. This timeline is for stopping smoking.
| After | What changes |
|---|---|
| 20 minutes | Your pulse rate starts to return to normal |
| 8 hours | Oxygen levels recover and carbon monoxide in the blood falls by about half |
| 48 hours | Carbon monoxide is down to a non-smoker's level, and taste and smell improve |
| 2 to 12 weeks | Circulation improves |
| 3 to 9 months | Coughing and wheezing ease as lung function rises |
| 1 year | The risk of a heart attack is about half that of a smoker |
| 10 years | The risk of dying from lung cancer is about half that of a smoker |
For people who chew tobacco, counselling that helps them stop has been shown to reduce the white patches (leukoplakia) in the mouth that can lead to cancer.
What helps people quit
Many people who use tobacco want to stop, but few manage it alone. According to WHO, counselling and medicines can more than double a person's chance of quitting for good.
Do
- Choose a day to stop and tell your family, so that they can support you.
- Ask a doctor about counselling and about medicines that can ease cravings. Some are given on prescription.
- Find out what sets off your urges, such as stress or a usual routine, and plan to do something else at those times.
- Go to a tobacco cessation centre or use the free national quitline.
Do not
- Do not swap one form of tobacco for another. Using both smoked and smokeless tobacco carries more risk than using one.
- Do not rely on willpower alone. Nicotine addiction makes that hard.
- If you are pregnant, do not start a nicotine replacement product or other quit medicine without speaking to a doctor first.
Cravings and slips
Cravings are part of nicotine withdrawal. Strong urges often come with stress or with the routines you used to link with tobacco, so knowing your triggers helps you plan for them.
Quitting often has ups and downs. If you slip, it does not mean you have failed: get back on track as soon as you can. The first 28 days without smoking are an important milestone, and people who reach it are much more likely to stay smoke-free for good.
When to ask a doctor
Ask a doctor for help with stopping if you have tried before and found it too hard, if you are pregnant, or if you have a long-term health problem. A doctor can offer counselling, suggest medicines that suit you, and tell you where the nearest cessation centre is.
If you use tobacco, see a doctor or dentist about any white patch or other change inside your mouth. White patches (leukoplakia) can be an early step towards cancer.
Myths and facts
Things people often say about this. Open each one to see what is true.
Myth“Chewing tobacco, gutkha or khaini is safer than smoking.”What is true?
Fact
There is no safe form of tobacco. Smokeless tobacco is linked to mouth cancer, heart attack and stroke, and the nicotine stays in the body for longer than after smoking, which makes it addictive.
Myth“Rubbing tobacco on the teeth, or using mishri or tobacco tooth powder, cleans the teeth and is good for them.”What is true?
Fact
This is a common but wrong belief. Tobacco used on the teeth and gums is linked to gum disease, worn teeth and mouth cancer, and it is often how the habit starts.
Myth“Quitting is only a matter of willpower.”What is true?
Fact
Nicotine is addictive, so willpower alone is often not enough. Counselling and medicines from a doctor can more than double the chance of quitting for good.
Common questions
I have used tobacco for many years. Is it too late to stop?
Stopping helps whenever you do it. The body starts to recover within hours, and the risk of heart attack and lung cancer falls over the following years. The longer you stay off tobacco, the greater the gain.
Do I need medicines to quit?
Not everyone does, but counselling together with medicines gives the best chance. A doctor can tell you which medicines suit you. If you are pregnant, speak to a doctor before using any of them.
Where can I get free help in India?
Under the National Tobacco Control Programme, district hospitals are meant to have tobacco cessation centres that offer counselling and medicines free of charge, and there is a free national quitline. A doctor can point you to the nearest centre, and the quitline number is on the programme's official website.
What if I start again after stopping?
A slip is common and does not mean you have failed. Think about what set it off, get back on track as soon as you can, and ask a doctor for more support if you need it.