Laser Therapy to Quit Smoking: What to Expect at Your First Visit

By the NuLife Team · Reviewed by a certified specialist · Last updated November 2026

Before Your Visit: A Free 15-Minute Call

It starts with a phone call. We ask about your habit: how much you smoke or vape, how long you’ve been smoking, what you’ve tried before, and why you want to quit now. We also check for health conditions and medications, go over pricing, and make sure the program is a good fit for you.

Your quit plan isn’t made on the call. It’s built with you at the clinic. Once you’re ready, you book a time and pick the clinic closest to you.

How to Prepare for Your First Visit

• Bring a list of your medications. We screen everyone again in person before treatment.
• Think about your triggers. When and where do you smoke or vape most? Coffee, the car, after meals, stress at work?
• Write down why you want to quit. Your health, your family, your doctor, or you’ve just had enough. It helps on hard days.
• Follow any instructions we give you on the call.
• Come ready to quit. The treatment helps with cravings, but your decision to quit is what makes it work.

Your First Visit, Step by Step

Your first visit is the longest one, because it includes your assessment, counselling and personal quit plan. Here’s what happens:

1. Your assessment

A certified specialist gets to know your habit, your triggers, your health history and your goals. No two smokers are the same, so there’s no one-size-fits-all program.

2. Counselling and education

You learn what nicotine does to your body and why quitting feels so hard. Nicotine makes you feel normal, and when it wears off, you crash: cravings, irritability, anxiety. That crash, not a lack of willpower, is why most people go back to smoking.

3. Your personal quit plan

Together you build a plan around you: how to handle your triggers, what to expect in the first days, and what to do when a craving hits.

4. Your first low-level laser treatment

At NuLife we combine traditional acupuncture technique with low-level laser therapy (photobiomodulation). A painless low-level laser is applied to specific points, with no needles and no drugs. It helps your body release endorphins, natural chemicals that ease cravings, withdrawal and stress. The low-level laser device we use is FDA cleared and Health Canada approved.

You sit back comfortably while the laser is applied to specific points, mainly on the ears, hands and face. The points used depend on what we’re treating.

5. Your next steps

Before you leave, you know what comes next in your program and when to come back. Your follow-up visits and support are part of your plan.

What Does Laser Therapy Feel Like?

The laser is non-invasive, non-thermal and drug-free. There are no needles, so there is none of the pain people link with needle acupuncture. All most people feel is a slight tingling or pulsating sensation, and many feel more relaxed during and after the treatment.

Want to know more about safety? Read Is Laser Therapy to Quit Smoking Safe?.

After Your First Visit: The First Few Days

Many patients notice fewer cravings from the first visit. Others notice it more over the next few days. You may still have some withdrawal, like irritability, trouble sleeping or trouble focusing, and your counsellor will help you through it. See the Nicotine Withdrawal Timeline for what to expect day by day.

A few things that help in the first days:

• Get rid of cigarettes, vapes, pouches and lighters at home, at work and in the car
• Plan something for your trigger times, like a walk after meals
• Drink plenty of water
• Tell the people close to you that you’re quitting
• Call us if a craving hits hard. That’s what we’re here for

Results vary from person to person, but 85% and more of our patients who complete the program report success.

Why It’s a Program, Not a One-Visit Fix

Some clinics offer a single laser visit. Quitting has a physical side and a habit side. The laser helps with cravings and withdrawal, while your counsellor helps you with the habits and triggers that come after, and with support to prevent a relapse. That’s why we take you through the whole quit, not just the first day.

NuLife vs a One-Visit Laser Clinic

Curious what other patients say? Read Laser Therapy to Quit Smoking Reviews: What Real Patients Say.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the first visit take?

Your first visit is the longest, because it includes your assessment, counselling and personal quit plan. We’ll go over the timing with you when you book.

How many treatments will I need?

It depends on you: how much you smoke or vape, how long you’ve smoked and what you’ve tried before. Your program is built around you after your assessment, and we’ll go over it on your free call.

Will I stop smoking after the first visit?

Many patients feel fewer cravings from the very first visit. The quit is completed over your personalized program, because cravings, habits and triggers take time to change. Read Does Laser Therapy to Quit Smoking Work? for the research.

Does it hurt? Are there side effects?

No, it doesn’t hurt. There are no needles and no drugs. Precautions exist with certain medical conditions and medications, so every patient is screened on the phone and again in person. Otherwise there are no known side effects.

Does it work for vaping too?

Yes. The program helps with smoking, vaping and all nicotine products. For tips you can use today, read How to Quit Vaping.

Do I need a doctor’s referral?

No referral needed. Just call us for a free 15-minute phone assessment.

Is it covered by insurance?

Most benefit plans cover the program, and everyone is welcome, with or without insurance. 4 interest-free payments are available. Every plan is different, so call us and we’ll go over your coverage on the phone. More in our cost guide.

Where are your clinics?

We have 6 clinics across the GTA: Toronto, North York, Etobicoke, Vaughan, Woodbridge and Oakville.

Ready to start? Learn about our Laser Quit Smoking Program or call 416-363-5433 for a free 15-minute phone assessment.