HealthInfo Waitaha Canterbury
Quitting smoking
Aukati i te momi
Being smokefree is one of the best things you can do for your health.
You will immediately get benefits when you quit, as your body starts to repair itself. It does not matter how old you are. Quitting will help you live longer, improve the quality of your life and save you thousands of dollars a year.
No one says quitting is easy, but every day people show it can be done.
You can find much more information and help to quit smoking by contacting Te Hā – Waitaha Smokefree Support or Quitline.
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Why it can be hard to quit
Many people find it difficult to stop smoking. To stop, you need to work through all the habits that go with smoking, and you have to withdraw from nicotine. Nicotine is the ingredient in tobacco that keeps you addicted.
But there are many things you can do and services you can use to help you kick the habit for good.
Self-help for quitting smoking
- Contact a stop-smoking service that can give you free support and advice.
- Talk to your general practice team or pharmacist.
- See Smokefree or Quitline for information about quitting and for tools that can help you, such as working out how much smoking is costing you.
- Read about nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and other medicines that can help you quit.
Getting help with quitting smoking
Getting help more than doubles your chances of successfully stopping smoking. There is a lot of free help available and there will be a service near you.
Your general practice team
Talking to your general practice team can be a good place to start when you decide to quit smoking. They can tell you about the support services that can help you. They can also talk to you about the different medicines you can use to help you give up.
Te Hā – Waitaha Smokefree Support
Phone 0800‑425‑700 for stop-smoking information and support.
Register online on the Te Hā – Waitaha Smokefree Support website.
- Free specialist smokefree support for all Cantabrians.
- Personalised plan with your own Quit Coach – you can choose individual or group support.
- Free NRT patches, gum and lozenges.
- Free consultation to access varenicline (Champix).
- Information, advice and support with other stop-smoking medications, such as bupropion (Zyban).
- Vaping as a quit tool.
- Pregnancy incentive programme where hapū māmā receive vouchers to reach smokefree milestones.
- Specific support for Māori and Pacific peoples and pregnant women who smoke.
Quitline
Phone Quitline on 0800-778-778 or register online.
- Quitline provides a range of services including phone, txt and online support.
On the next page: Medicines that help you quit
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed April 2025.
SourcesReview key: HIBSF-16604
