How to quit beedi and cigarettes

Is a beedi safer than a cigarette?

No. All forms of tobacco use are harmful, and there is no safe level.^{Source 6} A beedi is small and cheap, but it isn't mild. Tested on a smoking machine, bidis gave off more carbon monoxide, nicotine and tar than cigarettes.^{Source 7}

The tendu leaf wrapper burns less easily than cigarette paper, so people who smoke beedi inhale more often and more deeply.^{Source 7} Smoking beedi carries a risk of heart disease and of cancers of the mouth, throat, lungs, oesophagus, stomach and liver.^{Source 7}

So switching from cigarettes to beedi, or the other way round, isn't quitting. Stopping both is.

Why is quitting smoking so hard?

Nicotine. Every tobacco product delivers it, and it's highly addictive.^{Source 8} When you stop, your body notices. Common withdrawal symptoms are cravings, feeling irritable, trouble sleeping, trouble concentrating, feeling restless, feeling low or anxious, and feeling hungrier.^{Source 3}

The good news: withdrawal usually peaks within the first week and lessens over time.^{Source 8} Symptoms are strongest in the first few days or weeks.^{Source 3}

Then there's the habit. Cravings are often set off by stress, certain situations and your daily routine:^{Source 2} the beedi with chai, the cigarette after a meal, the smoke break at work.

How do I get ready for quit day?

• Pick the day. Choose a day in the next two weeks. That gives you enough time to prepare.^{Source 1}
• Know your triggers. Triggers are the feelings and situations that give you the urge to smoke.^{Source 1} Write yours down, and plan what you'll do instead.
• Throw it all out. Throw away your cigarettes, beedis, matches and lighters on or before quit day.^{Source 1}
• Tell people. Share your plan with the people who matter to you, and ask for their support.^{Source 1}
• Practise waiting. Before quit day, put off each smoke when a craving hits. Try for at least 10 minutes, then longer as quit day gets closer.^{Source 9}

What do I do when a craving hits?

Remember it won't last. Most cravings pass within a few minutes,^{Source 2} and after five minutes the urge weakens.^{Source 10} That's the Five-Minute Rule. You only have to get through the next five minutes. How long does a nicotine craving last? explains why.

• Wait it out. Delay as long as you can before giving in.^{Source 11}
• Breathe slowly. Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds, hold for 5, and breathe out through your mouth for 6.^{Source 2} Or take 10 deep breaths until the urge passes.^{Source 11}
• Drink some water. It's a healthy alternative to putting a cigarette in your mouth.^{Source 11}
• Do something else. Take a shower, go for a walk, listen to music.^{Source 11}
• Text someone. That's what the TobaFree Coach is for. Message it on WhatsApp the second a craving hits, and it stays with you through the five minutes.

What happens to my body when I stop?

It starts recovering almost at once. According to WHO, after you quit:^{Source 4}

• Within 20 minutes, your heart rate and blood pressure drop.
• After 12 hours, the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
• After 2 to 12 weeks, your circulation improves and your lung function increases.
• After 1 to 9 months, coughing and shortness of breath decrease.
• After 1 year, your risk of coronary heart disease is about half that of a smoker's.
• After 10 years, your risk of lung cancer falls to about half that of a smoker.

It's never too late. WHO says people who quit at about 60 still gain around 3 years of life expectancy compared with those who keep smoking.^{Source 4}

Can nicotine replacement or medicines help?

They can. Quit-smoking medicines can help reduce withdrawal symptoms and make quitting easier.^{Source 3} Talk to a doctor or pharmacist first.

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) gives your body lower amounts of nicotine without the dangerous chemicals in smoke. It comes as patches, gum, lozenges, inhalers or sprays, and it helps you deal with cravings and withdrawal.^{Source 12} Patches work best with a faster-acting nicotine product alongside.^{Source 12}

WHO recommends varenicline, NRT, bupropion and cytisine for adults trying to quit, along with counselling.^{Source 13} Ask a doctor which, if any, is right for you.

What if I smoke one?

Don't panic, and don't throw away your quit. Go back to your quit plan right away, and work out what set you off so you can plan for it next time.^{Source 14}

One beedi is a slip. It doesn't have to be the end of your quit.

Where can I get free help in India?

India's National Tobacco Quit Line is free: call 1800-112-356 (toll free) or give a missed call to 011-22901701. Counselling is available in regional languages.^{Source 5} A doctor can talk to you about medicines.

TobaFree is behavioural support on WhatsApp, not medical treatment, and it doesn't replace your doctor. If you chew gutka or khaini as well, read How to quit gutka, khaini and paan masala.