The Impact of Smoking on Chronic Health Conditions: Why Quitting Matters

No Smoking Day

This year, the annual No Smoking Day falls on Wednesday the 12th of March. The national awareness day is held in collaboration with ASH and BREATHE 2025, with the aim to help people in the UK to quit smoking once and for all. This initiative is supported by the government, NHS, and various charities, all of which come together to provide valuable assets to aid those looking to quit. 

Quitting smoking improves overall health for all smokers, but for those with chronic conditions such as chronic pain or a neurological disorder, it could be even more important. 

What are the effects of smoking?

Smoking is known to harm almost every organ in the body and has been linked to many kinds of cancer, as well as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and many other diseases. The habit is estimated to kill around 8 million people each year, including 1.3 million non-smokers who are affected by second-hand smoke. 

Smoking and chronic conditions

The effects of smoking are well-documented, but many people are not fully aware of how smoking tobacco can worsen the symptoms of existing conditions. Evidence suggests that people with chronic conditions who smoke tend to have worse symptoms, function, sleep, and psychological and mood outcomes. 

Smoking and chronic pain

Chronic pain - pain that has lasted for three months or longer - affects an estimated 28 million people in the UK alone. This includes several chronic conditions, including fibromyalgia, arthritis, and complex regional pain syndrome. 

Several studies have assessed the effects of smoking tobacco in patients with chronic pain. One such study, published in 2019, compared smokers and non-smokers on pain intensity, physical function, sleep, and psychological and mood variables. The findings indicated that patients with chronic pain who smoke experienced worse symptoms across all of the assessed outcomes. Moreover, chronic pain patients who smoke were also found to have a slightly worse prognosis than non-smokers. 

Smoking and neurological disorders

Neurological conditions affect the brain and nervous system and can be associated with many symptoms. Some examples of neurological conditions include epilepsy, multiple sclerosis (MS), and Parkinson’s disease. 

Smoking has been associated with increased seizure frequency in patients with epilepsy, although the exact reason for this is not fully understood. Moreover, some evidence suggests that earlier and heavier tobacco consumption may increase the risk of primary progressive MS and increase the rate of accumulation of disability in progressive forms of the condition. 

Smoking and mental health conditions

Mental health conditions are a major concern to public health with around a third of adults in the UK believed to be affected by an anxiety disorder and around 1 in 6 living with depression. 

Research indicates that adults with depression are twice as likely to smoke as adults without the condition. Some people may smoke tobacco for the temporary boost of dopamine it delivers, but in the long run, it may actually have the opposite effect. But can smoking cause depression? Well, the link between smoking and depression may not be quite so straightforward; however, some studies indicate that quitting smoking can improve mood and reduce feelings of depression. 

Similar findings have also been made linking smoking to an increased risk of anxiety disorders. Again, the causation of this relationship is still not fully understood; however, nicotine and other ingredients found in tobacco smoke have been found to exert influences on several pathways that are known to play a role in anxiety disorders. 

The effects of quitting smoking

The benefits of quitting smoking begin much sooner than most people realise. In fact, the body begins to recover within just hours of smoking a cigarette. So, let’s take a look at what happens when you quit smoking.

Quit smoking timeline:

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• After 8 hours: Oxygen levels begin to recover and carbon monoxide levels in the body are reduced by half. 

• After 48 hours: All carbon monoxide has been flushed out of the body. Cilia in the lungs recover and begin to clear mucus from the lungs. 

• After 72 hours: Breathing is easier and your energy levels will have improved. You may also experience withdrawal symptoms such as cravings and moodiness.

• After 2-4 weeks: Withdrawal symptoms usually pass. Blood circulation improves so oxygen and nutrients are delivered around the body more efficiently.

• After 3 months: Your lung function increases by around 10%; any coughing, wheezing, or breathing problems will improve.

After 1 year: Your risk of heart attack will have halved!

Quitting smoking can seem almost impossible, but there are countless resources and support networks available to make the process that little bit easier. Many smokers have found smoking alternatives, such as vaping or medications, to be useful when quitting. Several health charities offer free resources to support those looking to quit smoking. There is even a free NHS Quit Smoking app designed to provide you with personalised support to help you quit smoking for good!

Quitting smoking as a medical cannabis patient

Smoking is traditionally the most common way to consumecannabis; however, due to the health implications of smoking, this method of consumption is not endorsed by medical experts in the UK, and smoking cannabis - in all its forms - remains illegal. 

Instead, medical cannabis patients can legally vaporise medical cannabis flower to effectively administer the medicinal compounds within the plant while limiting exposure to harmful smoke. 

But could quitting smoking tobacco help to enhance the benefits of medical cannabis treatment? 

As we have discussed in this article, smoking has detrimental effects on your health - and these effects can potentially worsen the symptoms and progression of chronic health conditions. 

Quitting smoking alongside implementing a personalised treatment regime could help to maximise the benefits.

To learn more about medical cannabis consumption methods, and to find out if you could be eligible for medical cannabis treatment, get in touch with one of our specialist doctors today. 

Happy No Smoking Day!