Health benefits of quitting smoking
The benefits of going smoke-free are greatest when doing so early, but it is never too late to start reversing the harmful health effects of smoking or vaping.
Even people living with cancer can see major improvements after quitting. Cancer treatment is much more effective, there is less risk of cancer relapse and less risk of developing new cancers.
You’ll start to experience the benefits of quitting smoking after just 20 minutes:
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20 minutes |
You already have less risk of a heart attack. |
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24 hours |
Oxygen levels in your blood increase significantly, meaning muscles, heart and other vital organs can work more easily. |
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1 week |
You will have already saved lots of money, as much as $350 for a pack a day smoker. |
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1 month |
Your immune system will have improved; it can be better at detecting and removing cancer cells. |
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3 months |
Your lung’s natural cleaning system is restored and can better protect you from lung disease. |
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5-15 years |
Your risk of stroke and cancers of the lung, mouth, throat, and oesophagus (food pipe) significantly decreases. |
How to quit smoking or vaping
Quitting smoking or vaping is different for everyone, but if you’re thinking of quitting, here are three things you can do to get started:
1. Understand why you smoke or vape
Knowing when and why you smoke and use nicotine can help you prepare for withdrawals, anticipate cravings and avoid known triggers.
There are three common reasons why people smoke or vape:
- Physical dependence – you do it to satisfy your body’s craving for nicotine.
- Emotion – you do it to relieve stress, to console yourself if you’re upset, or as a reward when you’re happy.
- Habit – certain situations can trigger you to think about smoking/vaping, like seeing your friends who smoke, or having a cup of coffee.
It can be helpful to list what habits or emotions (triggers) make you want to smoke or vape and come up with replacement strategies that are just right for you. Here are a few suggestions:
If your trigger occurs: |
You could: |
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First thing in the morning |
Get in the shower straight away. |
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When having your morning coffee or tea |
Change your drink to something else e.g. herbal tea, or drink it in a different room you don’t associate with smoking or vaping. |
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When socialising |
Let people you’re with know you’ve quit and ask them not to offer you cigarettes or vapes. |
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When you’re stressed |
Remove yourself from the situation or talk with a friend. |
2. Make a plan
Once you’ve decided to quit, making a plan can help set you up for success. You can start by looking at all of the different ways to quit that are available and working out which strategies could be best for you.
Call Quitline on 13 7848 to speak to their counsellors about the different ways to quit or visit the Quit website.
3. Get support
You don’t have to go it alone. Your chances of quitting successfully are doubled when you reach out to a support service like Quitline.
It might also help to speak with your family and friends about your decision and how they can help, as well as your doctor and pharmacist.
Quitting vaping
Vapes, or e-cigarettes, are known to cause harm, and we are continuing to learn about their adverse effects. There is no strong evidence to suggest vapes are an effective tool for quitting smoking. They often have very high levels of nicotine, even if they are labelled as ‘nicotine-free’.
Quitting vaping, like smoking, can be challenging. In light of the risks, there are known strategies to support people in quitting vaping that are similar to strategies for quitting smoking.
Both smoking and vaping can cause harm, so it’s best to avoid both — and especially important to avoid using them together.
Support for quitting vaping
We encourage people who vape to gain medical support to help them quit or to reduce use. You may also benefit from:
- Tailored support and information, available through Quitline on 13 78 48
- Speaking with your doctor about medications that are best suited to support you.
- Nicotine Replacement Therapies such as patches, gum, lozenges or mouth spray. A combination of patches and fast acting products (gum, lozenges, mouth spray) can be most effective. These products are available from pharmacies and supermarkets.
Free support to quit smoking or vaping
Quitline’s counsellors are trained to listen carefully to you to help meet your needs. Getting counselling through Quitline also increases your likelihood of successfully quitting for good.
Call Quitline on 13 78 48 or visit quit.org.au for free tools to help you quit.
Finding lung cancer early
Lung cancer is the fifth most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in Australia. When lung cancer is found in the earlier stages, it’s easier to treat. In July 2025, the new National Lung Cancer Screening Program was introduced for eligible Australians to help detect lung cancer early, before symptoms start to show – saving lives. If you are experiencing symptoms that are unusual for you, see your doctor.
Vaping
Vapes (also known as e-cigarettes or electronic cigarettes) are harmful. Vapes can contain over 200 chemicals including some that cause cancer, with new research showing that vaping is likely to cause lung cancer and oral cancer.
