Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do to help your cancer treatment. Quitting smoking also reduces the chance of your cancer coming back or getting another form of cancer. Whether you are scheduled to have surgery, radiation treatment, or chemotherapy, quitting smoking will help you. Visit Cancer Care Ontario’s website to learn more about the benefits of quitting smoking for people with cancer.
How to access support:
- Talk to a member of your health care team about your options for quitting smoking and how to access support.
- Call a Quit Coach at Health811 at 1-866-797-0000 (TTY 1-866-797-0007). Getting help over the phone through a quit-line can more than double your chance of quitting.
- Get support from Smokers’ Helpline in the following ways:
- Visit SmokersHelpline.ca to access self-help materials and join an online group of quitters and Quit Coaches.
- Text the word iQuit to the number 123456 for text message support.
- Visit QuitMap.ca to find a quit smoking counsellor or group in your community.
Indigenous Smoking Cessation Resources
- Visit the Tobacco-Wise website for materials that aim to promote the Indigenous Tobacco Program services, and increase awareness of commercial tobacco, cannabis and vaping prevention and cessation practices.
Support is also available in your local community:
Chatham-Kent Public Health
- Telephone: 519-352-7270 extension 2488
- Email: CKsmokefree@chatham-kent.ca
- To learn more about quitting smoking, visit the Chatham-Kent Public Health website.
Southwestern Public Health Unit – Oxford, Elgin, St. Thomas
- Telephone: 1-800-922-0096
- Email: smokefreeontario@swpublichealth.ca
Grey Bruce Public Health
- To learn more about quitting smoking, visit the Grey Bruce Public Health website.
Huron Perth Public Health
- Telephone: 1-888-221-2133 extension 3267
Middlesex-London Health Unit
- To learn more about quitting smoking, visit the Middlesex-London Health Unit website.
Windsor-Essex County Health Unit
- Telephone: 519-258-2146 extension 3100
- To learn more about quitting smoking, visit the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit website.
More Resources:
Quit Smoking - The Benefits for People with Cancer
- Learn more about the benefits of quitting smoking on the Cancer Care Ontario website.
Smoking and Cancer Surgery
- Learn the importance of quitting smoking before cancer surgery. The "Why quit smoking before your surgery?" PDF is found on the right side of the Cancer Care Ontario webpage.
Cannabis and Cancer
- To learn more about the use of Cannabis during cancer treatment, read the Cannabis and Cancer PDF.
Online Learning
- Quit Smoking: For People with Cancer is an online learning module from Ontario Health that outlines the benefits of quitting smoking and how to find support page
