HealthInfo Aoraki South Canterbury
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 also have to withdraw from nicotine.
Nicotine is the ingredient in tobacco that keeps you addicted. This video shows how addictive nicotine can be.
But there are many things you can do, and services you can use, to help you kick the habit for good.
What can I do?
- Contact a stop-smoking provider who can give you free support and advice.
- Talk to your GP, practice nurse or pharmacist.
- See Smokefree or Quitline for information about quitting and for tools that can help you, such as the Quit Calculator which will help you figure out how much money you'll save.
- Read about nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and other medicines that can help you quit.
Who can help?
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 right near you. You can find a list of services in South Canterbury on the South Canterbury DHB Smokefree links page.
General practice team
For general practices currently taking new patients, phone Primary and Community Services on (03) 687‑2307.
To find the contact details and fee schedule for a general practice see Te Whatu Ora South Canterbury – General Practice.
On the next page: Medicines that help you quit
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed July 2016.
Image courtesy of nenetus at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Review key: HIBSF-16604
