Southern DHB Smokefree South

Stopping smoking can be really difficult to do on your own.  Research tells us that by working with a stop smoking service you will be much more likely to stop than if you try it by yourself.  Stop smoking services are  flexible and will provide you with support as long as you need it.  And they are FREE!

The Southern Stop Smoking Service offers FREE face-to-face support to stop smoking with seven coaches operating across Otago and Southland.  They provide free Nicotine Replacement Therapy (patches, gum, lozenges) to support people on their journey to becoming smokefree.  Referrals can be made the following ways:

All the coaches are trained stop smoking professionals and will offer you structured support on preparing to stop, stopping and staying smokefree.

When you smoke a cigarette you take CO and loads of toxins into your body.  CO is really damaging as it takes away oxygen from you which you need to be healthy.  If you are pregnant and smoke, then your baby gets that CO as well and that can be harmful to their growth and development.

Your stop smoking coach uses a nifty wee hand-held machine that measures your CO levels – all you have to do is blow into it   When you start working with your coach you can expect your CO levels to be high (if you are still smoking), but once you stop smoking those levels will drop much lower.  The readings can be really motivating and help you monitor how you are progressing on your smokefree journey.

If you are getting ready to stop smoking, your coach can give you information and advice on how best to prepare yourself, including information about what medications will best suit you if you choose to use any. You can talk with your coach about any worries you have about stopping smoking, any previous attempts you have made before, your smoking patterns and your reasons for wanting to stop.  This will help you to get started with planning your quit date.

Your coach will work alongside you to help you set a date to stop smoking. This is the date where you commit to completely stop smoking and decide N.O.P.E (Not One Puff Ever).  Your coach can help and support you to cope with the feelings and withdrawals you may experience during this time.

Your coach can work with you on changing your routines (that in the past were created around smoking), triggers, managing stressful situations and cravings.

In your final meetings with your coach you will be able to look to a smokefree future and what supports are available if needed. When you successfully stop smoking you will join the 85% of people in New Zealand who do not smoke!

Quitline is New Zealand’s national stop smoking service and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help people become smokefree. Quitline offers free support online, by phone and text.

People can access support by:

Your doctor, nurse and other health professionals will ask you about whether you smoke or not.  If you do smoke they can arrange Nicotine Replacement Therapy for you during your hospital stay.  They can also arrange an appointment with the local stop smoking coach when you are back home.

Your GP or Practice Nurse will ask you about whether you smoke or not.  If you do smoke they can arrange Nicotine Replacement Therapy for you and arrange an appointment with the local stop smoking coach.

Cigarettes contain nicotine and around 4,000 toxic chemicals.  People continue to smoke because they become dependent on, or addicted to, nicotine.

Nicotine is present in the leaves of tobacco plants.  When tobacco is smoked the nicotine is carried down into the lungs, then into the blood and then  the heart.   The nicotine then travels to the brain and around to the rest of the body.  This process happens very quickly.

Nicotine, like other drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines, acts on a particular part of the brain called the reward centre.  With the continued use of nicotine or drugs over time, the brain actually changes and comes to rely on these substances. 

The approved stop smoking medicines that are funded and available in New Zealand are:

Strengths:

21mg, 14mg, 7mg – to meet individual needs.

Using it:

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 Not suitable for:

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Strengths:

4mg and 2mg – to meet individual needs.

 Using it:

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Good points:

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Further information:

Strengths:

2mg and 1 mg – to meet individual needs.

 Using it:

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Strength:

150 x 1mg doses per dispenser.

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Strength:

15 mg inhalator

 Using it:

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 Free and available:

 Not suitable for:

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Using it:

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 Free and available:

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Using it:

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Using it:

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There are so many health benefits to not smoking, and they start pretty much the moment you decide to ditch the cigarettes!

8 HOURS AFTER STOPPING

24 HOURS AFTER STOPPING

48 HOURS AFTER STOPPING

72 HOURS AFTER STOPPING

2-12 WEEKS AFTER STOPPING

3-9 MONTHS OF STOPPING

1 YEAR SMOKEFREE

10 YEARS SMOKEFREE

15 YEARS SMOKEFREE

A lit cigarette is like a little toxic waste dump on fire, giving out health-endangering smoke.  It affects the people around you, especially children. 

80-85% of smoke is actually INVISIBLE.  What you see when you smoke a cigarette is only a very small percentage.  There is NO safe level of second-hand smoke.

If you stop smoking then not only will your health improve, but the health of your loved ones will too!   Learn more here: Second-Hand Smoke

If you smoke you will know that it is very, very expensive!  Someone who smokes a pack a day is probably spending just over $200 a week on cigarettes. 

Stopping smoking will give you an instant pay rise!  Use this calculator to work out what you could be saving a week, month, year and lifetime once you become smokefree.