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If you have COPD and smoke, you can slow down the damage it does to your lungs if you quit smoking. Everybody's lungs naturally work less well as they get older. But if you have COPD and smoke, too, the extra damage smoking does will make your lungs get worse faster.

If you stop smoking, your lungs will still get weaker, but not as fast as they would if you kept smoking.¹

A lot of products are available now that can help you stop smoking:

• Nicotine gums and skin patches replace some of the nicotine you miss when you stop smoking. You can buy some of these products in pharmacies and supermarkets
• Another treatment that has helped a lot of people is a drug called bupropion (brand name Zyban). You'll need a prescription from your doctor to get this medicine. It doesn't give you any nicotine, but it cuts down your cravings for it.^{2 3}

For more about these treatments and how to quit, see our section on Nicotine addiction.

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.