Why Stub Buddies works

by Sally Watkin
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Stub Buddies is your best chance ever of quitting smoking for good – and that's a promise!

Safety in numbers

We can't provide a drum roll to accompany our findings, but if we could it would be deafening because:
  • Quitting in company works. 'Clinical trials show that the best way to quit is to team up with others,' says Professor Robert West, NHS spokesman and Cancer Research UK expert. 'You can give yourself the best possible chance of quitting by teaming up with a Stub Buddy, seeking expert support and using an appropriate stop-smoking treatment to manage your withdrawal symptoms.'
  • Follow the above advice and you're four times more likely to succeed in stopping than by going it alone.

Take this chance

Tried to stop smoking before? No problem! It's never too late to try again and research shows that each time you try to stop, you are equally likely to succeed. 'Like rolling a die, you have exactly the same chance of getting a six with every throw,' says Professor West.

Stub Buddies are on your side

  • Softly softly Your Stub Buddy – who could be your GP, pharmacist, dentist or other NHS-trained stop-smoking staff in your doctor's surgery, chemist, clinic or local Halo leisure centre – won’t tell you off if you have a relapse. They are there to encourage you and offer practical, non-judgemental advice to help you stay focused.
  • Two minds Your Buddy can help you work out what motivates you (better health and/or wealth?) and keep that firmly in mind. Plus, you’ll be able to identify the triggers that make you crave cigarettes, and plan how to beat them.
  • Friends unite Quitting in a group? You don’t want to let yourself – or the others – down, so your resolve to quit will be rock solid.

Your Stub Buddy can help you...

  1. Use the support on offer Don’t go cold turkey: your NHS-trained stop smoking expert will help you choose an appropriate anti-smoking aid or medicine to boost your willpower. Options include:
    • Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), available as patches, gum, lozenges, microtabs and nasal sprays. Keep your hands busy with an NRT inhalator, which looks like a plastic cigarette.
    • Medicines such as Zyban and Champix, which help reduce cravings.
    • NHS Quit Kit: packed with inspirational tips and reward stickers: visit the Smokefree site or call 0800 022 4 332.
    • Stress-busting 10-minute pep talks, which help you breathe through cravings, available to download here.
  2. Avoid situations and activities that make you long for cigarettes You might need to take a different route to work, follow a new ritual after meals (play a game; go for a walk) or steer clear of alcohol.
  3. Plan how you'll tackle stress and boredom without lighting up.
  4. Stay active From tensing and relaxing your muscles to going for a walk or cleaning the kitchen floor, research shows that activity will help you cope when you’re pining for a puff.
  5. Take five Cravings only last around three to four minutes, so if you can fight the desire for a fag for five minutes, you’ll be well on the way to beating the habit. Give yourself a substitute for cigarettes: drink a glass of water, run around the block or munch on a carrot.

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