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Smoking causes sticky blood

Within ten minutes of inhaling cigarette smoke, your blood becomes sticky. This increases the risk of dangerous clots which can lead to a catastrophic heart attack.

To watch the Sticky Blood television advertisement or for more infographics, visit the campaign hub.

The Sticky Blood campaign is also available in Mandarin, Cantonese and Simplified Chinese. Visit quit.org.au/chinese for more.

Facts about smoking and sticky blood

  • Within ten minutes of inhaling cigarette smoke, your blood becomes sticky.

  • Sticky blood can lead to blood clots and catastrophic heart attack, even in your 40s or 30s.

  • Even smoking one cigarette a day or smoking occasionally significantly increases your risk of dying from heart disease.

  • Stopping smoking reduces your risk of heart attack and heart disease. Within 2-3 months of quitting, your blood is less sticky and your risk of heart attack continues to fall over time.

  • Stopping smoking is the best thing you can do for your health. The best way to stop smoking is with support from Quitline (13 7848) and with stop smoking medications, like the nicotine patch and gum. No matter how many times you've tried to quit, Quit is here to help.

There are many ways to contact Quitline. You can call 13 7848 Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm, SMS the same number or complete the online form with your details and preferred date and time to request a callback:

Request a Quitline callback

Whether or not you're ready to quit, we're here to help (13 7848)

You don't have to be ready to quit to chat with a Quitline counsellor (13 7848). Quitline counsellors can help, wherever you are on your quitting journey. It's also a good idea to chat with your doctor. They can discuss your options and give you a script for cheaper stop smoking medication. If talking on the phone isn't your thing, explore our other support options. These include QuitTxt and QuitMail. You can also join our Facebook community to hear from others, ask questions and share experiences.

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