A doctor has shared a simple strategy that could help smokers kick the habit in the New Year.
Mike Litrel MD took to TikTok to share his advice, acknowledging that while everyone “knows smoking is bad for you”, quitting or cutting down can be challenging.
He suggests that those who have been smoking for longer periods may find it harder to quit. However, he believes a method involving “gradual reduction” could be effective.
Dr Litrel said: “When patients ask me [about quitting], I ask them a simple question, ‘What is the least number of cigarettes you can smoke on a daily basis and be happy?’ And usually people say, ‘I smoke a pack a day but I could be happy with 15.’
“And I say, ‘Okay, smoke 15 cigarettes a day but no more than 15 cigarettes a day this month.’ The next month you go down to 14, and if you follow this out for a year’s time, you’re not smoking any, or you can decide that you want to smoke one or two cigarettes a day.”
He added that while quitting entirely would be “the best thing”, it is not always possible as some people “enjoy smoking so much so that they don’t want to quit completely”.
For those who do not want to quit completely, it is all about taking the “safer” option, with Dr Litrel often advising his patients to try just three cigarettes a day.
The NHS recommends setting a “quit date” for those attempting to stop smoking in this way, advising: “Try to reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke every day, every week and fortnight until your quit date.”
The NHS has support and advice for those wanting to quit smoking, with guidance suggesting nicotine-free medicines, vaping or nicotine replacement therapies as ways to ease nicotine cravings while reducing the cigarettes you smoke. It takes just two days for the carbon monoxide levels in your body to “have dropped to that of a non-smoker” and a year to halve your risk of heart attacks.
