South Australian smokers are facing one of their strongest motivations to quit in years this World No Tobacco Day (Monday, 31 May 2010), with the average pack of 30 cigarettes now costing nearly $17.
Calls to Quitline (13 7848) doubled in the week following the Australian Government’s tax hike and the number of new callers since has remained 50 per cent higher.
“This is one of the most significant increases in new callers to the Quitline in recent years,” says Quit SA Manager David Edwards.
“In recent weeks we have been averaging almost 300 new callers a week, eager to get support with quitting.
“World No Tobacco Day is an ideal time to give Quitline a call and get help with developing a plan to quit.
“The average pack-a-day smoker can save themselves more than $6,000 a year by not buying cigarettes that harm their health and their hip pocket.
“Those already on the path to quitting have openly identified increased costs as a significant motivator to avoid relapsing.
“Clearly costs have also struck a note with youth – a Victorian research poll suggesting that if costs went up to almost $20 a packet 73 per cent would quit the habit or avoid starting.”
Cigarette smoke is Australia’s number one cause of preventable death. It gives smokers more coughs, chest infections as well as illnesses because it suppresses the immune system. Smoking also causes tar stained teeth, fingers and facial wrinkles prematurely.
It’s never too late to quit. An ex-smoker’s risk of lung cancer halves within 10 years and after 15 years the risk of heart attack and stroke is almost the same as a person who has never smoked.
More immediately, within days of quitting, people experience an improved sense of taste and smell. A smoker’s immune system starts recovering after a month as blood pressure returns to normal.
Accessing Quitline is proven to double a smokers chance of quitting.
For more information or support with quitting phone 13 7848 or check www.quitsa.org.au .
Quit SA – (Quitline 13 7848)
10 tips how to quit
• Get information and help by calling the Quitline on 13 7848
• Go online
www.quitsa.org.au and order a quit pack, send an email to Quitline or request a call back
• Set a date to quit and develop a plan
• Buddy-up with a friend or colleague to motivate and assist each other
• Know why you smoke ie addiction, emotion, social influences, habit, pleasure – it can help you plan how to cope
• Throw away all cigarettes, lighters and ashtrays
• To cope with cravings think about using nicotine replacement therapy, changing your environment or routine and using coping thoughts
• Ask others not to smoke around you and avoid challenging situations
• Try the 4 D’s - Delay acting on urges, Deep breath, Drink water & Do something else
• Reward yourself and remember just one WILL hurt – having just one is the way most people go back to regular smoking
10 reasons why we should quit
• One in two long term smokers will die from their addiction, usually through cancer or heart attack
• Smoking is the major cause of lung cancer, diagnosed in 759 South Australians a year
• Smokers have more coughs, chest infections as well as illnesses because it suppresses your immune system
• Quitting will put $6,114 a year back in the pocket of a 30-a-day smoker
• Facial wrinkles develop earlier in smokers coupled with unattractive tar stains on teeth and fingers
• Smokers get more tired during exercise because of decreased oxygen to muscles
• Men who smoke are more likely to have problems getting or maintaining an erection as well as have lower sperm quality
• Women who smoke may take longer to conceive and are more likely to miscarry
• Babies whose mums smoked when pregnant are more likely to be premature, stillborn or die shortly after birth. It’s also a SIDS risk
• Children of smokers are more likely to smoke, as well as suffer pneumonia or bronchitis in their first year and experience meningococcal disease, asthma and middle ear infection
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