‘breathe easy may’ shines light on the mental health benefits of quitting smoking
nicorette launches 30-day smoke-free challenge in partnership with the canadian cancer society’s smokers’ helpline to motivate canadians to take charge of their health
published may 15, 2026
4 minute read
4 minute read
many people who quit smoking have noticed improvements in their mental health and well-being after the initial withdrawal period. adobe
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since quitting smoking for good, cathy cope says the physical and mental health benefits of quitting have left her feeling better than ever.
“i’m so grateful to have my health and time back,” says cope. “initially, i was quitting for my kids, but that just turned into sneaking around. once i realized how horrible i was feeling, i decided to quit for myself.”
cope, now 58, was 16 years old when she had her first cigarette. she smoked for a few years after high school before deciding to quit during her second year of college. but in her late 30s, cope began smoking again.
“i got hooked, hated it and smoked for another 10 years, with many failed attempts at quitting,” she says.
unhappy with how smoking made her feel nauseated and low on energy, cope was in her mid-40s when she realized she was ready to quit for good. to kickstart her quit-smoking journey, she began using a nicotine replacement patch.
at first, she says she missed the social connection that came from regular smoke breaks with her husband. but that feeling was short lived. “in time, the pride i had in myself for quitting was bigger than the loss i felt for those social moments i thought i was missing out on,” says cope.
another key part of her journey was reaching out to the smokers’ helpline, a free service operated by the canadian cancer society, for personalized support and evidence-based resources. their quit coaches are available by phone, text and live chat to provide non-judgmental support and referrals to community services.
“the ability to ask questions, never feel stupid and get real tips to stay smoke-free was crucial,” says cope of her experience contacting smokers’ helpline.
though it hasn’t always been an easy journey, her family’s support – along with smokers’ helpline and nicotine replacement products – have helped cope stay smoke-free for over 13 years.
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more than just breathing easier
the mental health benefits of quitting smoking are often overlooked, but for former smokers like cope, they are truly life changing. to shine a light on the health benefits of quitting smoking, nicorette has launched its new ‘breathe easy may’ 30-day challenge in partnership with the canadian cancer society’s smokers’ helpline. breathe easy may combines smoking cessation tools from nicorette along with information and support from smokers’ helpline to assist canadians with overcoming cigarette addictions.
lillian domjancic, lead of tobacco cessation programs at the canadian cancer society, says many people who quit smoking have noticed improvements in their mental health and well-being after the initial withdrawal period.
“a large systematic review of 26 studies found that people who quit smoking experienced reductions in depression, anxiety and stress, along with improvements in positive mood and overall quality of life,” says domjancic. “in addition to research, lived experience consistently shows that levels of stress, anxiety and depression often decrease, and people frequently report feeling calmer, more balanced and more emotionally steady.”
additionally, domjancic says smoking affects nearly every organ of the body and is a major cause of chronic diseases such as heart disease and stroke, cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd). despite the mounting risks to health the longer someone smokes, she says it’s never too late to quit.
“health and quality of life benefits occur no matter when someone quits, even after many years of smoking,” says domjancic.
this year also marks the mid-way point of canada’s 2035 target to reduce tobacco use to less than 5 per cent by 2035. there are 3.6 million people who smoke in canada, with canadians aged 50-64 among the highest users of tobacco (14 per cent), followed by canadians aged 35-49 (12 per cent).
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smoking is a known cause of many diseases, and tobacco use is a significant contributor to preventable causes of premature death, with approximately 46,000 canadians dying from tobacco-related illnesses every year.
finding support for your quit-smoking journey
while quitting can be challenging, domjancic says there are many effective tools and resources that help make it more manageable.
“medications, nicotine replacements and support services can increase the chances of quitting successfully. medications and nicotine replacements help with withdrawal and cravings, and support services give people the coping mechanisms to deal with them,” says domjancic.
services like smokers’ helpline, operated by the canadian cancer society, provide free, confidential support tailored to individual needs. for some adults, medically approved nicotine replacement therapies may also play a role by reducing withdrawal symptoms while people focus on changing behaviour.
to help canadians in their quit-smoking journeys, nicorette offers a range of science-backed nicotine replacement products, including gums, patches, lozenges, sprays and inhalers. these products make it easier for people to manage their nicotine cravings and withdrawal symptoms, allowing them to quit without missing out on social moments.
as part of the nicorette breathe easy may 30-day challenge, canadian adults who are trying to quit smoking can receive a $20 coupon from smokers’ helpline to be used in the purchase of any two participating nicorette or nicoderm® products. the offer is only available online at smokershelpline.ca and is not valid in quebec.
throughout breathe easy may, canadians can follow @nicorette.ca on instagram to discover real stories from canadians who have overcome cigarette addiction with the support of nicorette smoking cessation resources, the canadian cancer society and smokers’ helpline.
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visit nicorette.ca to join the nicorette 2026 breathe easy may challenge and take the first step towards quitting smoking and improving your mental and physical health.
warning: this product contains nicotine. nicotine is highly addictive. only to be used by adults who are trying to quit smoking.
this story was created by healthing content works, healthing.ca’s commercial content division, on behalf of nicorette.
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