Why the number of Australians trying to quit smoking has skyrocketed

The number of Australians trying to give up smoking has surged during lockdown, and an expert says there’s no better time to kick the habit.

Since January, the number of people who have downloaded the Australian government’s quit smoking app, My Quitbuddy, has surged 310 per cent, compared to the same period last year.

The app has been downloaded more than 24,000 times this year.

Director of Quit Victoria, Dr Sarah White, said it’s an ideal time to give up smoking.

“There’s never been a better time to actually have a go at quitting,” she told 3AW’s Dee Dee.

“We’re not going to the pub, we don’t have those social queues where a lot of people smoke.

“It’s not just the addiction to nicotine that drives people to smoke, it’s actually a lot of the triggers and the habits.”

Dr White said the rise in the number of people trying to quit is likely to stem from a combination of factors.

“People are taking the time to reassess what they’re doing,” she said.

“Adults aren’t wanting to smoke around kids.”

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