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Answers to your questions health prevention Smoking cessation

Contents validated by the physicians of the Scientific College of the Ramsay Health Foundation

Quitting smoking cold turkey: a good or bad idea?

Categories FAQ
Smoking cessation
Shutdown conditions

You've decided to stop smoking, but you're wondering whether quitting suddenly can be harmful? The first thing to say is that quitting all at once poses no health risk. As to whether quitting gradually (i.e., continuing to consume a few cigarettes a day and gradually cutting down) proves more difficult, it would appear to be the case. In one study, the success rate was higher among smokers who chose to quit cold turkey. However, each person has his or her own method of quitting smoking, with the ultimate goal being total cessation. In any case, quitting smoking cold turkey does not mean quitting unprepared. Rationalizing your project and putting a strategy in place will increase your chances of success.


For further information, we recommend that you consult :

- Le site info tabac
- Tabac info service website
- The Santé Publique France website and its section on tobacco
- The "Amelie" health insurance site and its thematic file on tobacco


And more specifically, the resources you can consult to stop smoking:

- Tabac info service: the application that suggests ways to stop smoking, which you can download here.
- 3889: a free telephone service staffed by tobaccologists, Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm.
- A tobaccologist: a professional who can help you quit under the right conditions, easily found on the tabac info service website here

Smoking cessation

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