More good reasons to quit

Your body’s self defence

Smoking suppresses your immune system, so you are less protected against the flu and other illnesses. Even young smokers have more coughs, phlegm, wheezing and chest infections than non-smokers. Smokers also tend to have more severe symptoms. 

Money

In a way, giving up smoking is like getting a pay rise, more than $3000 a year if you smoke 20 cigarettes a day.

Fitness

Smoking makes it harder to get enough oxygen to your muscles during exercise, so you tire more quickly.

Your appearance

Wrinkles around the eyes and mouth develop earlier, and tar stains your fingers and teeth.

Confidence

Once you succeed, you will have more confidence to take on other challenges. 

Fertility

Men who smoke are more likely to have problems getting or maintaining an erection, due to the effects of smoking on the blood vessels in the penis. Smoking may affect sperm quality.

Women who smoke are more likely to miss periods and have more painful periods. They may take longer to conceive and are more likely to have a miscarriage.

Babies and children 

Babies born to mothers who smoked in pregnancy are more likely to be premature, stillborn or die shortly after birth. A baby exposed to tobacco smoke has a higher risk of dying from SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).

Children of parents who smoke are more likely to get pneumonia and bronchitis in their first year of life. They are more likely to suffer from meningococcal disease, asthma and middle ear infection (a common cause of deafness). They are also more likely to become regular smokers themselves.