Smoking and tobacco

Avoiding tobacco use is one of the best ways to ensure your health and well-being. If you already smoke or use tobacco, it's never too late to reap the benefits of quitting. With the right tools, you can stop smoking for good.

In this section you'll find resources and support to quit smoking, avoid second-hand smoke, and find other tobacco-related information.

You can find information on tobacco product labelling, tobacco use statistics, and tobacco legislation on the Health Canada website.

Highlights

You can quit smoking. We can help.

Considering quitting smoking or another tobacco product -- or know someone who is?

Cost calculator: how much do you spend on cigarettes?

If you quit today, how much will you save in 1, 3, 5, or 10 year(s)?

In this topic

Help someone quit smoking

The decision to quit smoking must be made by the person who smokes, for their own reasons and in their own time. You can't do it for them. While pressure from friends or family rarely works, there are ways you can help make their quitting process a little easier.

Nicotine addiction

Nicotine is the drug that makes tobacco products so addictive. As you introduce nicotine to your body, you will begin to crave more. Using any form of tobacco (including cigarettes, little cigars, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco and snuff) may lead to an addiction.

Quit smoking now

For some people, quitting is not that much of a challenge. Others have to plan carefully, get support and follow through on every small step. The good news is, many people quit every day, and so can you!

Benefits of quitting

Quitting smoking may improve the length and quality of your life. When you give up cigarettes, your body starts to renew itself as early as the first day of quitting. You may live longer and reduce your chance of developing heart disease, cancer, breathing problems and infections.

Risks of smoking

Smoking is linked to more than two dozen diseases and conditions, including cancer and heart disease. Most of these start to reverse after you quit smoking. Sometimes the benefits of quitting begin in a matter of hours.

Avoid second-hand smoke

The best way to protect your family from the health effects of second-hand smoke is to quit smoking and make your home and car 100% smoke-free.