NHS Smokefree factsheet: four-step planner

Think about stopping

  • What were your reasons for starting smoking? Which of these still apply? Are they good reasons for continuing?
  • What’s keeping you smoking? When are you most likely to want a cigarette?
  • Why do you want to stop smoking? Better health, more money to spend on yourself and your family? Do these reasons seem stronger?
  • If so, move on to the next stage.

Prepare to stop

  • Understand why you smoke – fill in a diary over a day or two, noting what time you smoked, what else you were doing and how much you wanted to smoke.
  • Use this to help you plan how you’re going to copewhen you want to smoke -consider using Nicotine ReplacementTherapy (NRT) or other stop smoking medicines to help with the cravings.
  • Get support – tell friends and family that you’re quitting or team up with someone else quitting too. Call our expert staff on the NHS Smoking Helpline - 0800 169 0 169 for details of the free NHS support available to boost your chances.

Research shows that you’re up to four times more likely

to stop smoking successfully if you use NHS support

Go smokefree

  • Choose a quit date that’s unlikely to be highly stressful and get rid of your cigarettes, matches and lighters in advance.
  • Keep reminding yourself why you’re stopping and ask friends and family to do the same – and don’t kid yourself, there’s never ‘just one cigarette’!
  • Keep busy – find a different regular daily routine and get plenty of fresh air.
  • If you’re using a carbon monoxide monitor, available at your local NHS Stop Smoking Service, make a note of the results to see how quickly your body is recovering.

Stay smokefree

  • Nicotine withdrawal symptoms are signs that your body is starting to recover and they will pass – stick at it.
  • Coughing - your lungs are clearing out tar. Try having a warm drink to soothe your cough.
  • Hunger, diarrhoea or constipation - your body is just returning to normal, try to eat healthy snacks or chew gum instead of junk food.
  • Trouble sleeping, bad moods - these shouldn't last more than two or three weeks. Try cutting down on coffee and tea and warn friends and family this is likely to happen so they can offer support.
  • If you’ve been using smoking as a way of handling stress, now’s the time to find other ways – talk problems over with someone you trust or take time out to relax and try to get enough sleep.

Call the NHS Smoking Helpline on 0800 169 0 169

or visit

Last updated on 03Dec 2008