Habit to quit · Substances

How to quit smoking, and what happens when you do

Most smokers want to stop, and most need a few attempts. The good news: your body starts to recover within minutes, and the right support makes each attempt more likely to stick.

7M+

deaths a year from tobacco worldwide. WHO

The risks

Why smoking is harmful

More than 7 million deaths a year

Tobacco kills over 7 million people every year worldwide, including about 1.6 million non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke.

Source: WHO

Up to half of users

Tobacco kills up to half of the people who use it. It drives heart disease, stroke, lung disease and many cancers.

Source: WHO

Up to 10 years of life

Quitting can add as much as 10 years to life expectancy compared with continuing to smoke. It helps at any age.

Source: CDC

Recovery

What happens when you stop

Minutes
Your heart rate drops.
24 hours
The nicotine level in your blood drops to zero.
A few days
Carbon monoxide in your blood falls to a non-smoker’s level.
1 to 12 months
Coughing and shortness of breath decrease.
1 to 2 years
Your risk of heart attack drops sharply.
5 to 10 years
Added risk of mouth, throat and voice box cancer halves. Stroke risk falls.
10 to 15 years
Added risk of lung cancer halves.
15 years
Risk of coronary heart disease is close to a non-smoker’s.

Source: CDC

Cravings and withdrawal

Nicotine withdrawal can start within hours of your last cigarette. It is usually strongest in the first week, especially days 1 to 3, and on average lasts 3 to 4 weeks. Single cravings are shorter than they feel and usually pass within minutes if you ride them out. Reaching 28 days smoke-free makes you five times more likely to stay quit, which makes the first four weeks the ones to plan for.

Common triggers

Morning coffee
Finishing a meal
Alcohol
Stress or arguments
Breaks at work
Other smokers
Driving

The plan

How to quit

1
Use a stop smoking aid
Any form of nicotine replacement therapy (patches, gum, lozenges) raises your chance of quitting by 50 to 60%. Combining a patch with a fast-acting form works better than one alone.
Source: Cochrane
2
Ask about the strongest aids
Nicotine vapes, varenicline and cytisine are among the most effective quit aids, ahead of a single form of NRT. Stop smoking services can help you choose, and they are free in many countries.
Source: Cochrane
3
Set a quit date and clear the cues
Pick a date in the next two weeks. The day before, throw out cigarettes, lighters and ashtrays, and wash the clothes and car that smell of smoke.
4
Write an if-then plan
"If I finish dinner, I will go for a five-minute walk." Across 94 studies, plans in this form had a medium-to-large effect on actually reaching goals.
Source: Gollwitzer & Sheeran, 2006

Start small

Start with your quit date as day one and check in every night before bed. If a full stop is not possible yet, begin with a Count habit for cigarettes you skipped, then switch to a daily smoke-free check-in once you set your date.

FAQ

Quitting smoking: common questions

Both can work. Stopping on a set date is the most common approach. If you prefer to cut down, set a quit date anyway and use nicotine replacement to help you get there.

Some people gain a little. Regular meals, a walk instead of a cigarette break and plenty of water help. The health gain from quitting far outweighs a few kilos.

No. One cigarette is a slip, not a relapse. Note what triggered it, plan for that moment next time and check in honestly tomorrow.

Today you track it as a daily Yes / No habit, and your streak shows the days in a row. Dedicated quit tracking is coming to Streako.

General information, not medical advice. Streako is a habit tracker, not a treatment service. If you are worried about your health, talk to a doctor.

Fill the gap

Good habits to replace it with

Quitting leaves a gap in your day. Fill it with something you want more of.

Fitness

Other habits to quit

Substances

Every day without it counts

Check in each night you stay clear, and watch the streak grow.

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How to quit smoking, and what happens when you do

Why smoking is harmful

More than 7 million deaths a year

Up to half of users

Up to 10 years of life

What happens when you stop

Cravings and withdrawal

How to quit

Use a stop smoking aid

Ask about the strongest aids

Set a quit date and clear the cues

Write an if-then plan

Start small

Quitting smoking: common questions

Good habits to replace it with

Walk 10,000 steps

Drink water

Meditate

Other habits to quit

Vaping

Alcohol

Too much caffeine

Every day without it counts

Streako is almost here

How to quit smoking, and what happens when you do

Why smoking is harmful

More than 7 million deaths a year

Up to half of users

Up to 10 years of life

What happens when you stop

Cravings and withdrawal

How to quit

Use a stop smoking aid

Ask about the strongest aids

Set a quit date and clear the cues

Write an if-then plan

Start small

Quitting smoking: common questions

Is it better to stop at once or cut down first?

Will I gain weight?

I slipped and smoked. Is my quit over?

Can Streako count my days smoke-free?

Good habits to replace it with

Walk 10,000 steps

Drink water

Meditate

Other habits to quit

Vaping

Alcohol

Too much caffeine

Every day without it counts