It's almost a cliche to go on about the fact that smoking is bad for you and how it negatively impacts on your health, but the argument remains that there are no health benefits from smoking and in case you needed any more incentive to quit, you'll also save a lot of money.
Quit the excuses
We all know smoking is bad for you and many smokers will keep making excuses about why they 'can't' quit...Below are the seven main excuses that smokers use to delay quitting, and how you can overcome them.
Excuse 1: "The damage is done already"
Many people feel that because they smoke, they've already increased their chance of getting cancer or another smoking-related disease, so quitting now won't make any difference.
The evidence shows that the longer you smoke, the more at risk you are, so the sooner you quit, the healthier you'll be.
As soon as you quit, your body starts to repair itself. You'll notice improvements in your breathing and sense of taste and smell just a few days after stopping.
Excuse 2: "I'll gain weight"
Medical evidence shows that nicotine doesn't stop you getting hungry. Nicotine makes you burn calories faster, but as long as you remember that you need less food energy, quitting won't actually make you gain weight.
Try eating low-fat options and take up an activity instead of replacing cigarettes with food.
Excuse 3: "I'll get stressed"
Despite what you may have thought, nicotine doesn't calm you down.
Nicotine cravings between cigarettes make you feel stressed and anxious, so when you smoke the cigarette you feel calmer. But you'll feel less stressed once you quit and don't have cravings any more.
If you want a cigarette, wait for 10 minutes and the craving will usually pass. Take some deep breaths or go for a walk to relieve the stress and distract you from those cravings.
Excuse 4: "It's not the right time"
Although it's true that you shouldn't try to quit during particularly stressful times, don't use this as an excuse to never try quitting.
Pick a particular date, such as the beginning of a holiday or the beginning of a working week. Work out what makes you want a cigarette, such as having a cup of tea or going to the pub, and pick a day when you can avoid these triggers.
Telling lots of people that you're giving up will make you more likely to quit. You won't want to let them down, and you can ask smokers not to offer you cigarettes.
Excuse 5: "But what about my social life?"
For many smokers, cigarettes are an important part of their social life. You may class yourself as a social smoker, who only has a cigarette when you're with friends who smoke or during nights out. You may also have bonded with colleagues during cigarette breaks.
Although social smoking may seem better than smoking 40 a day, any cigarette smoking damages your health.
Excuse 6: "It looks good!"
For some people, holding a stick of tobacco wrapped in paper seems attractive and fashionable. Teenagers may think it makes them look older or cooler.
But many people find the sight of a smoker unattractive. Yellow fingernails, blackened fingers and a stained tongue are not a pretty sight.
Smoking also makes your complexion dull and prematurely ages your skin. So if you don't want to look old before your time, it's a good idea to quit.
There's also the smell. Cigarette smoke sticks to your hair and clothes long after you've had your last cigarette of the day. Some people think kissing a smoker is like 'kissing an ashtray'.
Excuse 7: "I can't quit because I'm addicted"
There is some truth in this. Smoking is an addiction that's undeniably tough to quit. But it's not impossible. With a lot of determination, you can do it.
To quit successfully, you need to deal with your chemical addiction to nicotine and the fact that smoking has become part of your daily routine.
The chemical addiction causes physical symptoms when you quit, such as tiredness, irritability and poor concentration. Your GP can prescribe medication to replace the nicotine. There are counselling and support groups that can give you extra motivation to help you ignore your cravings.
Need more incentives?
Smoking is an expensive habit. Not convinced? Have a look at our table below and see what the cost of your current habit makes you forfeit.
| Smoking | Money Saved Yearly | Equates to |
| 5 a day | £548 | Trip to New York |
| 10 a day | £1,095 | A year's travel Zone 1-4 |
| 15 a day | £1,643 | Mac Pro |
| 20 a day | £2,190 | Peugeot 206 |
| 25 a day | £2,738 | Round the World Trip |
| 30 a day | £3,285 | One year of tuition fees |
Work out how much money you could save by quitting smoking using this NHS tool.
Help to quit
Quitting isn't easy: but deciding to quit and sticking to that decision is a big part of the battle. 'Smoke Free', the NHS website, offers loads of advice and support to help you quit smoking. Check out the free quit pack, the addiction test and cost calculator on the website.