Prevention / General Public / Tobacco & Nicotine

Tobacco & Nicotine

For you and your community

Protecting your health from tobacco and nicotine harm

Avoiding tobacco and nicotine is one of the most important ways to protect long-term health.

Tobacco products cause cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and other serious health problems. Nicotine is highly addictive and harmful, and newer nicotine products can create and maintain dependence, especially among children and young people.¹

For people who already smoke, vape or use nicotine products, quitting brings health benefits at any age. Evidence-based support makes quitting more likely, and no one has to do it alone.²

Addictive

nicotine makes quitting difficult

support helps¹,²

Any age

quitting benefits health

it is never too late²

All

tobacco or nicotine products

are harmful¹

Around us

smoke, aerosols and waste

affect people and places¹,³

EVERYDAY environments

Tobacco and nicotine are not ordinary products

Tobacco and nicotine products are addictive and are designed, marketed and sold in ways that encourage people to start and continue using them.¹,⁴

Use is therefore not simply a matter of personal choice. Product design, flavours, packaging, social media promotion, availability and social norms all influence whether people start, continue or find it harder to stop.⁴

Healthier surroundings, stronger protections and reliable support can help prevent nicotine addiction and make quitting easier.

BENEFITS

Avoiding or quitting tobacco and nicotine protects health

Avoiding tobacco and nicotine products protects health. For people who smoke, quitting begins to bring benefits quickly and reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer and other serious conditions over time. Evidence-based support improves the chances of quitting successfully.¹,²,⁵

Protect long-term health

Avoiding tobacco and nicotine helps prevent addiction and exposure to harmful substances. Quitting smoking reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer and lung disease.

Support your body

After quitting smoking, circulation and lung function begin to improve, and the health benefits continue over time.

Protect people around you

Smoke-free and aerosol-free spaces help protect children, families, workers and others from harmful exposure.

Support mental wellbeing

Nicotine dependence can create repeated cycles of craving and withdrawal. Quitting tobacco can reduce stress, anxiety and depression and improve mood.

Create healthier homes and communities

Tobacco and nicotine products also affect shared environments through smoke, aerosols, litter and product waste. Reducing use helps create cleaner and healthier homes and communities.

SMALL STEPS

Small steps can make a difference

Everyone’s situation is different. Many people want to quit, reduce their use or support someone close to them. Some may feel pressure to start because of friends or content seen in social and entertainment media. Support and practical preparation can help.²,⁴

You can:

Be critical when tobacco or nicotine products are promoted: who benefits from the message?
Prepare for what to say if you are offered tobacco or nicotine
Make your home and car smoke-free and aerosol-free
Avoid exposing children and others to second-hand smoke or aerosols
Seek support if you want to stop smoking, vaping or using nicotine
Notice your habits without judgement
Reduce exposure to triggers where possible
Talk to young people about nicotine addiction and marketing
Support friends or family members who are trying to quit
Ask a health professional about effective quitting support and available services

Quitting can be difficult because nicotine is addictive. Needing support is normal, and support makes a big difference.²

SUPPORTIVE SURROUNDINGS

It is easier to stop or avoid nicotine when surroundings support you

Tobacco and nicotine use is shaped by the people, places, products and messages around us.

Smoke-free and aerosol-free spaces, reliable information, supportive families and communities, and easy access to evidence-based quitting support make it easier to avoid tobacco and nicotine or take steps towards quitting.²,⁴

Supportive surroundings also help protect children and young people from harmful exposure and from marketing that presents nicotine products as normal, modern or harmless.¹,⁴

WHAT CAN HELP

Supportive surroundings make a difference

People should not have to manage tobacco and nicotine risks alone. Companies profit from products that are addictive and harmful to health, and their marketing, availability and design influence people’s choices. Families, schools, workplaces, communities, municipalities and governments all have a role to play.⁴

It can be easier when there are:

Smoke-free and aerosol-free public spaces
Homes, cars and workplaces where people are protected from smoke and aerosols
Clear and reliable information about tobacco, nicotine and health
Easy access to evidence-based quitting advice and support
Schools and youth settings that protect young people from nicotine promotion
Social environments where not smoking or vaping feels normal
Respectful support for people who want to quit
Strong rules that reduce the appeal, promotion and availability of addictive products

Support matters. Encouragement, practical advice and healthier environments make it easier to stop or avoid nicotine.²,⁴

WHAT MANY PEOPLE THINK

Common myths about tobacco and nicotine

There is a lot of health advice and product messaging online, and not all of it is reliable. Some messages make tobacco or nicotine products seem safer, more normal or less addictive than they are.¹,⁴

“Some tobacco or nicotine products are harmless”

No tobacco or nicotine product is harmless. Newer products may be marketed as modern or cleaner, but they can still create nicotine dependence and carry health risks.¹,⁴

“Quitting only helps if you do it early”

Quitting improves health at any age. Benefits begin soon after stopping and continue to increase over time.²

“Using tobacco or nicotine is mainly a personal choice”

Use is shaped by addiction, marketing, availability and product design. Tobacco and nicotine companies promote newer products and use flavours, packaging, social media and other channels to make them attractive, particularly to young people.⁴

“Most people use tobacco or nicotine”

Social media, films and advertising can make tobacco and nicotine use seem more common than it is. Most people do not use these products, although newer nicotine products remain a growing concern among young people.¹,⁴

“Smoke-free policies are only about restricting people”

Smoke-free policies protect everyone’s right to breathe clean air and help prevent harmful exposure in shared spaces. This protection is especially important for children and pregnant women. People in disadvantaged circumstances may also face greater exposure and fewer opportunities to avoid it.⁶,⁷

A FAIR APPROACH

Support should be available to everyone

Tobacco and nicotine harm do not affect everyone equally. People facing lower incomes, difficult living or working conditions, stress, mental health challenges or limited access to services may experience greater exposure, higher levels of use and more barriers to quitting.⁷

Nicotine dependence can be strong, and quitting is not equally easy for everyone. Affordable and accessible cessation services, smoke-free environments and policies that reduce the marketing and availability of addictive products can help close these gaps.²,⁷

A fair approach gives people reliable information, respectful support and healthier surroundings, without blame or stigma.

THE MESSAGE IS SIMPLE

You can take steps that matter, and support can make a big difference

Avoiding tobacco and nicotine protects long-term health. For people who already use these products, quitting brings health benefits at any age.¹,²

Change can be difficult because nicotine is addictive, but no one has to manage it alone. Evidence-based support, healthier surroundings and strong protections make it easier to quit and help prevent addiction.²,⁴

The goal is to protect people from harm and make avoiding or quitting tobacco and nicotine easier, fairer and more realistic for everyone.⁷

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