Stop Smoking Support

Quit Smoking Support, Hornby, Christchurch

What happens when you stop smoking

The benefits of quitting begin within minutes and continue for years. Here is what the research shows:

• Within 20 minutes: blood pressure and pulse return to normal

• Within 24 hours: nicotine is cleared from your system

• Within 2 days: your sense of taste and smell begins to return

• Within 3 months: circulation improves and lung function increases

• Within 1 year: your risk of heart disease is roughly half that of a smoker

• Within 10 years: your risk of lung cancer falls to close to that of a non-smoker

Using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) alongside behavioural support can double your chances of quitting successfully compared to willpower alone.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)

NRT works by providing your body with a controlled, low level of nicotine to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings, without the thousands of harmful chemicals in cigarettes. It is safe, effective, and available in several forms:

• Patches, which release nicotine steadily over 16 or 24 hours

• Lozenges, for faster relief of individual cravings

• Gum, for craving relief and something to keep your mouth occupied

NRT should typically be used for at least 8 to 12 weeks, and sometimes longer for people who have a strong nicotine dependency.

Quit Cards, subsidised NRT

Stay Well Pharmacy is a registered Quit Card provider. Quit Cards entitle eligible smokers to fully subsidised NRT from participating pharmacies.

To access subsidised NRT via a Quit Card, you will have a brief consultation with our pharmacist, who will assess the most appropriate NRT type and dose for your situation and write a Quit Card prescription. There is a $5 co-payment for four weeks' supply, with an optional free repeat.

NRT patches, gum, and lozenges are all available on the Quit Card scheme. Our pharmacist can advise on which option, or combination, is best for your smoking pattern and lifestyle.

The Stay Well difference: naturopathic quit support

What sets Stay Well apart from most pharmacies is the naturopathic support available alongside standard NRT. Mark Webster understands that quitting smoking is not purely a physical process, it also involves stress management, sleep disruption, appetite changes, and emotional regulation, all of which can be addressed through nutritional and supplemental support.

Mark can advise on:

• Supplements to support the nervous system during nicotine withdrawal

• Nutritional strategies to manage appetite changes that commonly accompany quitting

• Stress management support to reduce the emotional triggers that drive cigarette cravings

• Strategies for managing the weight gain that many people experience when stopping smoking

This level of support is available as a free counter conversation or, for a more detailed personal plan, as a paid consultation.

A note on vaping

The Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand recognises vaping (e-cigarettes) as a potential harm reduction tool for smokers who are unable to quit through other means. If you are using vaping as a step toward quitting smoking entirely, Mark can advise on how to approach the transition in a way that maximises your chances of becoming fully nicotine-free.

How to get? No appointment needed, come in and take the first step.

27 Shands Road, Hornby, Christchurch 8042,
Phone: 03 349 8785

Monday to Friday: 9am – 6pm, Saturday: 10am – 1pm