7 common quitting smoking myths busted

So what are these myths and how accurate are they? We spoke to Dr Jeff Foster of Spire Parkway Hospital in Solihull and Dr Clare Morrison at MedExpress to find out.

Myth 1: If you have been smoking for more than five years the damage is already done

For long-term smokers there's often the perception that the damage has already been done and so there's no real benefit to quitting. This is something that doctors are keen to debunk.

"The sooner you stop the better - but no matter how long you have smoked, stopping will give your heart and lungs a chance to improve," Dr Foster stresses. "If you have been smoking for around five years, stopping will significantly reduce your chances of having a heart attack. In many cases, after 15 years of not smoking, the risk of heart attack is almost the same as someone who has never smoked at all."

Myth 2: Switching to 'lights' can help you quit later

A common compromise amongst smokers trying to kick the habit is swapping in "light" cigarettes. In fact, this does little to improve your chances of quitting.

"The chances are that you won't [stop later]," says Dr Foster. "Whatever the manufacturers try to tell you, a light cigarette contains about the same of tar as a regular cigarette. In fact 'light' actually refers to the taste and flavour of the tobacco and not its tar content. A survey in the American Journal of Public Health showed that while smokers of low-tar brands were more likely to attempt to quit, they were less likely to actually stop for good."


Myth 3: Occasional smoking is fine

One popular phrase amongst those struggling to quit smoking is that they will only have the "occasional" cigarette. However, Dr Morrison explains that this is still harmful.

Debunking the myth, she says: "No absolutely not true. Even relatively small amounts of nicotine damage blood vessels and make your blood more likely to clot."

Myth 4: Smoking helps manage stress levels
Opting for a cigarette as a way of managing stress may offer short-term relief, but in the long run it could lead to a heavier smoking habit.

"Nicotine alters the balance of two chemicals in the brain: dopamine and noradrenaline," says Dr Foster. "When these levels are altered by nicotine, patients feel stress relief and feelings of enjoyment. The act of inhalation means the active chemicals get to the brain more quickly and effect a near immediate change in mood. Nicotine has been shown to induce feelings of pleasure and reduce stress, and is generally why smokers enjoy smoking.

"It is worth noting, however, that the brain adapts quickly to these new levels of nicotine-induced pleasure, and higher and higher levels are required to achieve the same feelings over time."

Myth 5: Nicotine replacement products are as addictive as smoking
Smokers often argue that nicotine replacements are just as addictive as smoking itself, which makes them a less than desirable option. Dr Foster advises that this just isn't the case.

"Most people using nicotine products do not become dependent on them," he explains. "In fact, the NHS website focussing on stopping smoking says that the biggest problem with NRT is that people don't use enough of it for long enough.

"The nicotine from patches, gum and so on is released into your system much more slowly and in a different way than nicotine from a cigarette. Your body absorbs it more slowly and less reaches your brain, making it easier to stop using it at the end of your course."

Myth 6: Smoking makes you put on weight
For some, the worry is that quitting smoking will lead to weight gain. But as Dr Morrison explains, this doesn't have to be the case.

"The theory is that quitting smoking will lead people to seek out other pleasures - such as food. There could be some truth in this; but it's not exactly scientific," she says. "However, there's increasing evidence that smoking causes a build-up of visceral fat - toxic fatty tissue around the intestines.

"The more someone smokes, the more likely they are to store fat in their abdomen rather than the hips and thighs. Stopping smoking along with increasing exercise can help get rid of this fat and increase muscle mass."

Myth 7: It's all down to willpower
It's easy to equate giving up smoking with a dramatic lifestyle overhaul that requires mind over matter. Actually, only a tiny number of people (4-7%) succeed in giving up cigarettes using willpower alone. Everybody is different, so it's important to have a plan that works for you when it comes to quitting smoking.