Patient education: Quitting smoking for teens (The Basics)

What are the benefits of quitting smoking? — 

Quitting smoking can dramatically improve your health and help you live longer. It lowers your risk of getting many health conditions. These include:

●Heart disease

●Lung disease

●Kidney failure

●Cancer

●Infection

●Stomach problems

●Diabetes

●Osteoporosis, which is a condition that makes the bones weak

Smoking affects your lung health and makes it harder to exercise and succeed in sports. Quitting smoking will improve your overall fitness.

Quitting is not easy for most people. It might take several tries to completely quit. But help and support are available. Quitting smoking will improve your health, even if you have smoked for a long time.

It is very important for teens to try to quit smoking. This is because teens are more likely than adults to become dependent on nicotine. Nicotine is the main drug in cigarettes and is why they are addictive. Even teens who only smoke sometimes can become dependent on nicotine.

What should I do if I want to quit smoking? — 

It's a good idea to start by talking with your doctor or nurse. It is possible to quit on your own without help. But getting help greatly increases your chances of quitting successfully.

When you are ready to quit, you will make a plan to:

●Set a quit date.

●Tell your family and friends that you plan to quit.

●Plan ahead for the challenges you will face, such as cigarette cravings.

●Remove cigarettes from your home, car, and other places where you spend time.

How can my doctor or nurse help? — 

They can give you advice on the best way to quit. They might also give you medicines to reduce your:

●Craving for cigarettes

●"Withdrawal" symptoms (symptoms that happen when you stop smoking)

Your doctor or nurse can also help you find a counselor to talk to. You can also get help by:

●Calling a free phone line (1-800-QUIT-NOW, or 1-800-784-8669)

●Texting "QUIT" to 4784

●Going online to www.smokefree.gov

If your parent or guardian does not know that you smoke, you might be worried about talking to you doctor or nurse about it. In the US, confidentiality laws are different in each state. And each doctor or nurse might have their own rules. Talk to your doctor or nurse about what they will and will not share with others.

What are the symptoms of withdrawal? — 

When you stop smoking, you might have symptoms such as:

●Trouble sleeping

●Feeling irritable, anxious, or restless

●Getting frustrated or angry

●Having trouble thinking clearly

These symptoms can be hard to deal with. This is why it can be so hard to quit. But medicines can help.

Some people who stop smoking become temporarily depressed. Some need treatment for depression, such as counseling, medicines, or both. People with depression might:

●No longer enjoy or care about the things they used to like to do

●Feel sad, down, hopeless, nervous, or cranky most of the day, almost every day

●Lose or gain weight

●Sleep too much or too little

●Feel tired or like they have no energy

●Feel guilty or like they are worth nothing

●Forget things or feel confused

●Move and speak more slowly than usual

●Act restless or have trouble staying still

●Think about death or suicide

If you think that you might be depressed, tell your doctor or nurse right away. They can talk to you about your symptoms and recommend treatment if needed.

Get help right away if you are thinking of hurting or killing yourself! — 

Sometimes, people with depression think of hurting or killing themselves. If you ever feel like you might hurt yourself, help is available:

●In the US, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline:

•To speak to someone, call or text 988.

•To talk to someone online, go to www.988lifeline.org/chat.

●Call your doctor or nurse, and tell them that it is an emergency.

●Call for an ambulance (in the US and Canada, call 9-1-1).

●Go to the emergency department at your local hospital.

If you think that your partner might have depression, or if you are worried that they might hurt themselves, get them help right away.

How does counseling work? — 

A counselor can help you figure out:

●What triggers you to want to smoke, and how to handle these situations

●How to resist cravings

●What you can do differently if you tried to quit before

You can meet with a counselor in 1-on-1 sessions or as part of a group. There are other ways to get counseling, too, such as over the phone, text, or online.

How can medicines help me quit smoking? — 

Different medicines work in different ways. The most common ones for teens are called "nicotine replacement therapy." They reduce your body's craving for nicotine. They also help with withdrawal symptoms.

There are several forms of nicotine replacement. The best options for teens are skin patches and gum. Lozenges, nasal sprays, and inhalers are also available. If you are younger than 18 years old, you will need a prescription. Also, health insurance might cover some or all of the cost.

If you are having trouble quitting after trying these things, and you are nearly 18 (or older), your doctor might prescribe other medicines:

●Bupropion (sample brand names: Wellbutrin, Zyban) – This prescription medicine reduces your desire to smoke. It is also available in a generic version that is cheaper than the brand name versions. Doctors do not usually prescribe bupropion for people with seizures or those who had seizures in the past.

●Varenicline (brand names: Chantix, Champix) – This prescription medicine reduces withdrawal symptoms and cigarette cravings. It can increase the effects of alcohol in some people. Avoid or limit drinking while you're taking it, at least until you know how it affects you.

Can vaping help me quit? — 

Because of the risks that come with vaping, doctors do not recommend vaping to help quit smoking. Vaping means using electronic cigarettes, or "e-cigarettes."

If you vape, you are more likely to eventually start smoking cigarettes. Vaping products still contain nicotine, as well as other substances that might be harmful. It is not clear how vapes can affect a person's health in the long term.

What if I am pregnant and I smoke? — 

If you are pregnant, it's really important for the health of your baby that you quit. Ask your doctor about your options, and what is safest for your baby.

What if I have already smoked for a long time? — 

The longer you have smoked, the higher your chances of having health problems. But it is never too late to quit smoking. It helps your health even if you have smoked for many years. The best thing you can do to lower your chance of having a health problem caused by smoking is to quit.

Will I gain weight if I quit? — 

You might gain a little weight. This can be frustrating for some people. But remember that you are improving your health by quitting smoking. You can help prevent gaining a lot of weight by staying active and eating a healthy diet.

What if I'm having trouble quitting? — 

If you don't quit on your first try, or if you quit but then start smoking again, don't give up hope. Lots of people have to try more than once before they can completely quit.

It might help to try to understand why quitting did not work. There might be something you can do differently when you try again. It can help to figure out which situations make you want to smoke, so you can avoid them.

What else can I do to improve my chances of quitting? — 

You can:

●Get regular exercise. Any type of physical activity, even gentle forms of movement, is good for your health. Physical activity can also help reduce stress.

●Stay away from people who smoke and places that make you want to smoke. If your friends smoke, ask them to quit with you or avoid smoking around you.

●Carry gum, hard candy, or something to put in your mouth. If you get a craving for a cigarette, try 1 of these instead.

●Find healthy ways to manage stress. Some people find that it helps to try relaxation exercises or mindfulness.

●Don't give up, even if you start smoking again. It takes most people a few tries before they succeed.

More on this topic

Patient education: Quitting smoking for adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Harmful health effects of smoking (The Basics)
Patient education: Smoking in pregnancy (The Basics)
Patient education: Secondhand smoke and children (The Basics)
Patient education: Secondhand smoke and adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Vaping (The Basics)
Patient education: Smokeless tobacco (The Basics)
Patient education: How to use a skin patch (The Basics)
Patient education: Depression in children and teens (The Basics)
Patient education: Coping with worry and stress (The Basics)

Patient education: Quitting smoking (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Depression in children and adolescents (Beyond the Basics)