Tobacco Smoking in Adults—Infographic

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Let’s quit smoking.

Smoking tobacco

Is the #1 cause of preventable disease and death in Canada
Causes lung and other cancers, heart and lung disease and more
Is hard to stop because nicotine is highly addictive
Tobacco has 7000+ chemicals

Get healthier.

Stopping smoking can

Improve health and lead to a longer life
Improve mental health and quality of life
Lower the risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer

Quitting takes time.

Keep trying!

People often need to try to quit many times
Trying different things at the same time can help you quit

Things that can help you quit:

Things you can do

Get advice or information from a doctor, nurse, pharmacist or other health care provider
Get help from individual or group counselling from a trained counsellor
Try text message-based programs
Use self-help materials

Medications you can use

Nicotine replacement therapy* (the patch, gum, lozenges, inhaler or spray, used alone or together)
Varenicline
Bupropion
Cytisine

Can use several at same time (medication + behavioural)

Talk to a health care provider about what may be best for you

Not recommended:

Acupuncture
Hypnosis
Laser therapy
Electric current stimulation to head
Ear acupressure
St. John’s wort

What about e-cigarettes?

E-cigarettes may be used to help stop smoking tobacco cigarettes
People should try other proven treatments FIRST
E-cigarettes can help some people who could not quit other ways or who have a strong preference
Know that e-cigarettes may have unknown negative health effects and there is no long-term safety information
Don’t use them longer than you need to quit

No e-cigarette products have been approved to help stop smoking in Canada

Want more information?

*Pouches were recently approved in Canada to help quit smoking but were not included in the guideline.

Recommendations do not apply to traditional or ceremonial tobacco use by Indigenous groups or to pregnant or breast/chest-feeding people.