It has never been cheaper to stop smoking

Otago and Southland smokers told “It has never been cheaper to stop smoking!”

Today is World Smokefree Day and Otago and Southland Health Promotion Advisors are reminding smokers that it has never been cheaper to ditch the smokes!

Dave Gibbs, Health Promotion Advisor for Public Health South, is urging smokers to consider quitting because addiction-busting nicotine replacement products are heavily subsidised by the government, making them far cheaper than cigarettes.

“It’s never been cheaper to quit,” says Mr Gibbs. “At $3 for a month’s supply, the patches, gum and lozenges are among the cheapest in the world. They’ll take the edge off your cravings and make you more likely to stay smokefree. You’ll double your chances – for about quarter the cost of a packet of smokes!”

Mr Gibbs says the cost of smoking is going up, but the cost of quitting has gone down.

“So if you give up now you will be saving money and you might just be saving your life, as one in two smokers will die as a result of their smoking”.

Low-cost patches, gum and lozenges are available by calling Quitline, talking to your GP, or getting in touch with Nga Kete (Southland) or Te Roopu Tautoko ki te Tonga (Dunedin). The products are safe and contain only a minimal amount of nicotine. They also come packaged without any of the 4,000 chemicals (many of which are harmful) found in a cigarette.

“Smoking addiction consists of three parts and it is vital that smokers work out how to deal with all three parts when they quit,” says Mr Gibbs:

These are:

1. The chemical – caused by the nicotine
2. The habits – when do you smoke? With a coffee or in the car?
3. The emotions – do you smoke because you are stressed or happy?
4.
“All you need to do is call Te Roopu Tautoko ki te Tonga, Nga Kete, your GP or the Quitline,” says Mr Gibbs

They will send you a Quitcard to take to the chemist and they will also chat with you about your smoking so you really understand your addiction and how to beat it”.
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