Smoking

Giving up smoking doesn´t need to be a challenge.

Prescription medications can help you on your way.

women decided to quit smoking

It is a well-known fact that smoking is bad for your health and can seriously damage your body in more ways than one; 114,000 people die of a smoking related illness in the UK each year. The addictive ingredient in cigarettes is nicotine but there are a total of 4,000 other toxic chemicals which is what makes smoking such a harmful habit.

Many try to stop smoking each year but it is difficult and many relapse. There are numerous methods which smokers can use to try to beat their habit such as nicotine patches, gum and counselling sessions although Champix is recognised as the most successful medication available today.

What are the health concerns of a smoker?

Smoking is very damaging to your health and there are a variety of associated health risks which smokers should be concerned about. The four ingredients in tobacco which are the most damaging to health are tar, nicotine, carbon monoxide and components of the gas.

Tar is a carcinogen, which is a harmful substance that can cause cancer, most commonly lung cancer. Nicotine is the addictive element in tobacco; this draws people into an addictive cycle of smoking and causes an increase in cholesterol levels in your body. Carbon monoxide is a very harmful gas. When consumed it strips your body of oxygen making breathing more difficult. Components of the gas can result in cases of chronic pulmonary disorder (COPD), which is a respiratory condition that swells the lungs and results in breathlessness and coughing.

What should I do if I want to stop smoking?

Deciding to stop smoking is one of the most important and responsible decisions you are likely to make. It is no secret that quitting brings a wealth of health benefits and is likely to increase your life expectancy.

Although smoking cessation is difficult, if you stop smoking successfully the benefits vastly outweigh any problems that you will face along the way, which is why quitting now should be high on your list of priorities. If you are serious in your attempt to stop smoking, Online Clinic can offer you Champix, one of the most successful and clinically proven smoking cessation treatments available today. Taken over the course of 12 weeks, Champix offers an efficient and cost effective option for people who want to make a difference to their health.

What are the benefits of stopping smoking?

Quitting smoking brings a wealth of health and financial benefits, and even if you have been a smoker for a long time, you should not be deterred. The chart below details the health benefits you can enjoy as quickly as 20 minutes after you stop smoking:


Time since quitting

Changes that occur after giving up

20 minutes

Your blood pressure and heart rate will return to normal

Eight hours

Nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in your blood will halve, with oxygen levels returning to normal

24 hours

All traces of carbon monoxide will be removed from your body

48 hours

Nicotine will be flushed out of your body and your ability to taste and smell will be vastly improved

72 hours

Breathing becomes easier.
Bronchial tubes begin to relax and energy levels increase.

Two weeks

Circulation of blood will return to normal from two to 12 weeks

Three to nine months

Lung functions improve by 10% in three to nine months.

1 year

Your risk of heart attack will become half that of a smoker

Ten years

Your risk of lung cancer will be less than half that of a smoker

15 years

Your risk of heart attack will become the same as that of a non-smoker


As well as health benefits, you can reap substantial financial rewards from quitting. Estimates suggest that an average smoker in the UK will spend £1,500 a year smoking between ten and 15 cigarettes each day. With the prices of cigarettes going up each year, now has never been a better time to stop.

What stop smoking cessation treatment options are available?

OnlineClinic offers Champix, the most effective and recognised smoking cessation treatment available today. Taken over the course of 12-weeks, Champix has been proven to be more effective than nicotine replacement therapies such as nicotine gum or patches, and twice as successful as Zyban; the only other existing prescription medication to aid smoking cessation.

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