Your First Week Without Cigarettes

The first week is usually the hardest stretch of a quit attempt. Health Canada says withdrawal symptoms appear within one to two days of quitting, peak in the first week and last about two to four weeks. So the symptoms can start almost immediately, and the first seven days are when they are strongest. This page covers what Health Canada says to expect and how to prepare, as of 27 October 2026.

What should I expect in the first week?

Health Canada’s guide is blunt about the main thing: soon after you quit, your body will continue to crave nicotine, and cravings and triggers may pop up. It calls withdrawal a temporary part of quitting and says the benefits of being smoke-free last much longer.

Here is what the official sources actually put on a timeline:

When	What Health Canada says
20 minutes	Blood pressure drops to a level similar to before your last cigarette
8 hours	Blood carbon monoxide returns to normal levels
1 to 2 days	Withdrawal symptoms start to appear
First week	Withdrawal symptoms peak
2 to 4 weeks	Withdrawal symptoms last about this long
2 weeks to 3 months	The airways in your lungs relax and you can breathe easier

Health Canada’s page does not give day-by-day predictions beyond this, and neither will we. It does name trouble sleeping as one withdrawal symptom and says it will pass. If sleep problems continue, or any symptom worries you, talk to a healthcare provider. For the longer view, see what happens to your body when you quit smoking.

What can I do before day one?

Preparation is where the first week is won or lost. Health Canada’s guide suggests:

1. Pick a date. Choose a specific one no more than three weeks away, so you have time to prepare without losing motivation. Mark it somewhere you will see it, and consider a week with fewer deadlines.
2. Write a plan. Health Canada says a quit plan should cover your reasons, triggers, coping strategies and supports. Its online quit planner walks through seven steps and states that it does not collect or save your answers.
3. Track your smoking for a few days. Note when and where you smoke to find your personal patterns. Common triggers include coffee or alcohol, relaxing after work or meals, phone calls or driving, stress or anger, and the smell of tobacco.
4. Decide on a quit aid. Options include nicotine replacement therapy, prescription medicines and cytisine, and Health Canada says quit aids help with triggers and cravings. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist; how to choose your quit method lists the questions to ask.
5. Tell people. Health Canada suggests telling family, friends and coworkers, asking them not to offer you cigarettes or smoke around you, and considering a quit buddy.
6. Clear the house. If you plan to stop all at once, the quit planner advises clearing tobacco products from your home before the quit date.
7. Save the number. The national quit line is 1-866-366-3667, toll-free, with a trained quit coach.

How do I get through a craving?

Health Canada lists the 5Ds: Delay (wait five minutes at a time), Distract, Deep breathe, Drink water, and Discuss the urge with someone. It also describes urge surfing, treating a craving like a wave that rises, peaks and fades: “Urges, like waves, will pass if we do not fight them.” Resist the thought of “just one”, and keep your hands, mouth and mind busy.

Concrete ideas from the same guide: replace smoking routines with new activities, such as a walk after dinner; avoid the people, places and situations that make you want to smoke; and write down your feelings. Our guide to triggers and replacements goes through common ones, and how long cravings last covers the urge itself.

How should I treat myself that week?

Health Canada’s advice is to be patient with yourself and celebrate your wins. It suggests rewarding yourself for small and large wins, and reviewing the benefits you have gained since quitting. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, it recommends trying counselling first.

Do not wait for a perfect day. If you smoke one puff or one cigarette, Health Canada defines that as a slip, not a return to smoking; the steps are in what to do after a slip.

When should I call someone?

Talk to a healthcare provider if withdrawal symptoms worry you, if sleep problems do not pass, or if you feel at risk of relapsing; Health Canada suggests the quit service in that last case. Your province may have a program with coaching and, in some provinces, free nicotine replacement for eligible residents. Free quit smoking help by province shows what we have confirmed.