Smoking remains the leading preventable cause of disease worldwide. The good news: quitting at any age extends life expectancy, and proven medications triple your chances compared with willpower alone. Combine medication with behavioural support for the best results.

Three first-line options exist: nicotine replacement therapy (patches, gum, lozenges), varenicline (Champix), and bupropion (Zyban). Varenicline has the highest success rate in head-to-head trials but is prescription-only. NRT works best when long-acting (patch) is combined with a fast-acting form (gum, lozenge, spray).