PATIENT INFORMATION
Smoking and vaping
Smoking increases respiratory and wound-related risks around surgery.
Why stopping helps
- Within about a day of stopping, carbon monoxide levels in the blood fall, so the blood can carry oxygen better.
- Over several weeks, the airways become less irritable and wound healing and lung function tend to improve.
Stopping before surgery is beneficial, and longer periods of abstinence generally provide more benefit, but it is still worth stopping even when surgery is relatively close. Surgery can also be a good opportunity to stop for good.
What to tell the team
- Cigarettes, beedis, cigars or hookah, and how much you use
- Vaping or e-cigarettes
- Chewing tobacco, gutka or other nicotine products
- Cannabis, including edibles
This information is used to plan care. It is not asked to judge you.
Getting support
Ask your doctor about stop-smoking support and whether nicotine replacement is suitable for you. Many people find it easier to stop with help.
On the day of surgery
Follow your hospital’s instructions about smoking, vaping and nicotine products before surgery. Ask specifically about chewing tobacco and nicotine gum; do not assume that guidance for ordinary chewing gum applies to them.