You Can Be Smoke Free

You don’t need us to tell you that smoking causes cancer. But what you may need help with, is how to go about stopping. By picking up this leaflet, you’ve made the first step to stopping smoking, so well done. As many as two out of three long-term smokers die from smoking-related illnesses, including cancer, heart and lung diseases. There’s no time like the present to stop. Giving up is the best thing you can do for your health – so let’s get going.

Smoking can cause at least 14 types of cancer:

• Nose and sinus
• Mouth and upper throat
• Larynx
• Food pipe
• Lung
• Leukaemia
• Liver
• Stomach
• Kidney
• Pancreatic
• Bowel
• Ovarian
• Bladder
• Cervical

Five Steps to Cut Your Cancer Risk

1. Find Your Motivation to Stop

• People around you will be healthier
  Passive smoking causes cancer too, with children particularly at risk from the effects of smoke. And you should definitely stop if you’re pregnant, as smoking can put your baby’s health at risk.
• You’ll save money
  Stopping could put £250 back in your budget each month.
• You can gain up to 10 years of life
  The earlier you stop the better.

2. Know the Facts

• There’s no safe way to use tobacco
  Smoking cigarettes, menthols, pipes, cigars or roll-ups is dangerous. Shisha and smokeless tobacco that is chewed, sucked or sniffed increases cancer risk too.
• Smoke clings to your hair and clothes
  So not only do you not smell too good, but dangerous chemicals will hang around.

3. Make the Most of Free Support

Let’s be honest – stopping isn’t always easy. But, when you’re ready to give it a go, there’s plenty of help out there. You can give yourself the best chance by getting personalised support from local Stop Smoking Services. Cutting down can be a good start, but to really improve your health they’ll help you give up smoking completely. You will get there, just keep trying. There are people who want to help you. It’s free and you’ll be around three times more likely to succeed.

Start getting support today
Go to www.nhs.uk/smokefree, talk to your doctor, a nurse or pharmacist, or call:

• England: 0300 123 1044
• Wales: 0800 085 2219
• Scotland: 0800 84 84 84
• Northern Ireland: Text ‘QUIT’ to 70004 or visit www.want2stop.info

4. Consider Nicotine Replacements

Nicotine is the addictive substance that can make stopping smoking so hard, but it doesn’t cause cancer.

• Try safer alternatives
  For the best chance of success, get support from free local Stop Smoking Services. Things like patches, gum, nasal spray and inhalators can all improve your chances of stopping. Just remember to follow the instructions to get the full benefit. Your doctor or pharmacist will be able to help.
• E-cigarettes
  Research has found e-cigarettes are helping people to stop smoking. There’s no tobacco in them, and so far the evidence shows they’re much safer than cigarettes. You can even take one along to free Stop Smoking Services if you like.

5. Feel the Benefits - Right Now

When you stop, you’ll start to notice improvements in your body very quickly. Breathing will become easier and your sense of taste and smell will also improve. It might not be easy, but with the right support, you can get there.

4 in 10 cases of cancer in the UK can be prevented. So we’re supporting people to reduce their cancer risk. Our leaflets guide you through the changes you can make and are based on a balance of all the scientific evidence. They’re free to order online – just go to www.cruk.org/leaflets

How to Find Out More

We’re online…
You can find out more about smoking and cancer at www.cruk.org/smoking. If you’re thinking about making changes to improve your health and reduce your cancer risk, there’s plenty of information and tips at www.cruk.org/health.

…and on the phone
Our Nurse Helpline is there if you’re looking for any advice or support. Just call 0808 800 4040. And if you have any questions about Cancer Research UK or would like to support what we’re doing, you can call 0300 123 1022.

Let’s Beat Cancer Sooner

Ref: RTR600A April 2017
Due for review by: April 2019
Registered Charity in England and Wales (1089464), Scotland (SC041666) and the Isle of Man (1103)