The harms of smoking are related to three constituents in tobacco smoke. Firstly, nicotine causes addiction, secondly the tar causes progression of atheroma and cancer, and thirdly, carbon monoxide causes poor oxygen delivery to tissues. 

The benefits of smoking cessation occur within minutes, and it is never too late to consider quitting. In fact, one should never quit quitting. Smoking cessation by will power alone has a very low success rate because nicotine is so addictive. 

We know that people do better with a combination of treatments, including counselling, nicotine replacement therapy and medication such as buproprion, varenicline and nortriptyline. 

Vaping has recently become an issue in Australia because it is now illegal to possess nicotine vaping liquid without a prescription. Vaping can be a useful adjunct for smoking cessation for those who have tried unsuccessfully to quit using other treatments, but it is not recommended for children because it can act as a gateway to smoking.

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