Quit Smoking for Good — A Quit Smoking Guide

Quit smoking guide
Pitiya Phinjongsakundit/Shutterstock

This convenient Quit Smoking Guide will provide you with all the information you need to make that process as easy and effective as possible.

According to the CDC, smoking causes approximately 390,000 premature deaths in the U.S. each and every year. An additional 16 million people suffer from debilitating diseases caused by smoking.

An estimated additional 41,000 people die each year from smoking-related diseases as the result of Secondhand Smoke. The chemicals released from secondhand smoke pose a very real danger to those in the close proximity of a smoker.

Quitting smoking can be overwhelming. It’s not only about breaking a powerful physical dependence on an incredibly addictive substance but also about significantly changing one’s lifestyle, habits and coping strategies. It is, however, undeniably the single most important step that smokers can take to improve the length and quality of their lives.

Table of Contents:

Why Quit Smoking?
How Hard Is to Quit Smoking Cigarettes?
How to Quit
Can You Use LSD to Stop Smoking
Avoiding Triggers When Quitting Smoking – Knowing What to Expect
10 Tips to Quit Smoking


Why Quit Smoking?

The knowledge that cigarettes are harmful is rarely motivation enough to quit. Smoking is a powerful addiction, and breaking that addiction requires amazing willpower. These techniques and articles will help provide you with motivation and inspire you to follow through with your decision.

Motivation to quit smoking
Dirima/Shutterstock

THE EFFECTS OF SMOKING

Contrary to popular belief, smoking doesn’t only harm the lungs of a smoker, and cancer isn’t the only threat to a smoker’s health. Inhaling tobacco smoke can cause damage to most of the body’s organs and systems. Understanding exactly how much harm smoking causes you can be the impetus you need to quit. Remember that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. To begin looking for motivation to quit smoking, visit The Effects of Smoking.

LIST OF REASONS

It stands to reason that the first step toward leading a tobacco-free lifestyle is finding reasons to go through the difficult process of quitting. A good way to find motivation is to make a list of all the reasons to quit smoking that resonate with you on a personal level. A simple yet effective technique that’s used in most quitting programs is to write these reasons down on a piece of paper and use that list to reassure oneself in one’s commitment to quitting for good.

REWARDS OF QUITTING

Some smokers may rationalize their addiction by saying that the damage to their health is already done and quitting won’t make a difference. They couldn’t be more wrong. Quitting has a beneficial effect at any age and stage of addiction. To read about how quitting can improve your life, visit The Effects of Quitting.

The knowledge that cigarettes are harmful is rarely motivation enough to quit. Smoking is a powerful addiction, and breaking that addiction requires amazing willpower. These techniques and articles will help provide you with motivation and inspire you to follow through with your decision.

Motivation to quit smoking
Dirima/Shutterstock

THE EFFECTS OF SMOKING

Contrary to popular belief, smoking doesn’t only harm the lungs of a smoker, and cancer isn’t the only threat to a smoker’s health. Inhaling tobacco smoke can cause damage to most of the body’s organs and systems. Understanding exactly how much harm smoking causes you can be the impetus you need to quit. Remember that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. To begin looking for motivation to quit smoking, visit The Effects of Smoking.

LIST OF REASONS

It stands to reason that the first step toward leading a tobacco-free lifestyle is finding reasons to go through the difficult process of quitting. A good way to find motivation is to make a list of all the reasons to quit smoking that resonate with you on a personal level. A simple yet effective technique that’s used in most quitting programs is to write these reasons down on a piece of paper and use that list to reassure oneself in one’s commitment to quitting for good.

REWARDS OF QUITTING

Some smokers may rationalize their addiction by saying that the damage to their health is already done and quitting won’t make a difference. They couldn’t be more wrong. Quitting has a beneficial effect at any age and stage of addiction. To read about how quitting can improve your life, visit The Effects of Quitting.

How Hard Is to Quit Smoking Cigarettes?

The primary addictive substance found in cigarettes is nicotine, a stimulant drug. A single cigarette contains about 1-2 milligrams of nicotine. It stimulates the nicotine receptor in the brain and causes it to release of dopamine increases endorphin levels. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter and a part of the brain’s reward system. It is released in order to let us know that activities, like eating or having sex, are pleasurable. If the intake of tobacco stops and the nicotine receptors are no longer being stimulated, the body goes into withdrawal. Symptoms of withdrawal include irritability, restlessness, depression, headaches, insomnia and increased appetite. These effects will increase in intensity until eventually reaching a plateau and slowly disappearing. Some of the ways to manage the physical effects of withdrawal is nicotine replacement therapy or prescription non-nicotine medication.

The primary addictive substance found in cigarettes is nicotine, a stimulant drug. A single cigarette contains about 1-2 milligrams of nicotine. It stimulates the nicotine receptor in the brain and causes it to release of dopamine increases endorphin levels. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter and a part of the brain’s reward system. It is released in order to let us know that activities, like eating or having sex, are pleasurable. If the intake of tobacco stops and the nicotine receptors are no longer being stimulated, the body goes into withdrawal. Symptoms of withdrawal include irritability, restlessness, depression, headaches, insomnia and increased appetite. These effects will increase in intensity until eventually reaching a plateau and slowly disappearing. Some of the ways to manage the physical effects of withdrawal is nicotine replacement therapy or prescription non-nicotine medication.

How to Quit

The quest to quit smoking has proven to be a test of willpower for many. The exercising of willpower does not always mean that one must deprive themselves of external tools. In fact, sometimes willpower means doing what it takes to achieve a task and accomplish one’s goals.

COLD TURKEY

The cold turkey method is the most commonly used technique. Approximately 90% of all smokers who attempt to quit endeavor to do so without the aid of nicotine replacement therapy or other medication. It is also the least effective method. It is a challenging method that requires a lot of willpower, but it is also the fastest method and is therefore recommended for people who need to quit urgently due to serious medical issues.

DRUGS AND MEDICATIONS

Nicotine replacement therapies are designed to provide individuals suffering from nicotine addiction a safer alternative to smoking tobacco cigarettes, thereby easing the quitting process. Nicotine replacement therapies can take the form of gum, patches, inhalers or nasal sprays. Non-nicotine Smoking Cessation Medication – Certain prescription medications can be used to help stop smoking. Some of them can even be used along with NRT in order to boost the chances of success. These medications do not contain nicotine, are non-habit-forming and are found to have a slightly higher success rate than NRT. The most popular ones on the market are Bupropion (known by the brand names of Zyban® or Wellbutrin®) and Varenicline (Chantix®).

ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES

Some people use electronic cigarettes to quit smoking in a similar fashion to nicotine replacement therapy. Several brands offer e-liquids of varying nicotine content that can be useful in gradually decreasing your nicotine intake. This avoids the 7,000 chemicals that analogue cigarettes produce. Instead, e-cigs simply utilize a heating coil to gently vaporize the e-liquid. An added benefit of e-cigs over other forms of NRT is that they directly address the habit of smoking itself. These devices are also cheaper than purchasing a pack of traditional cigarettes every day. After purchasing a starter kit for an average of $40, which is cheaper than a standard carton of cigarettes, the only cost is replacing the cartomizer and e-liquid. The average cost for a pack of cartomizers is about $5 for a pack of five. Each cartomizer will last about a week. The standard cost of e-liquid is about $15 for a 15ml bottle. This will last around two weeks. This puts the total weekly cost at about $8.25, as opposed to $42 per week for traditional cigarettes.

COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a short-term therapy that focuses on specific problems in your life. It can be used to help quit smoking by changing the maladjusted thought patterns that make the smoker experience cigarette cravings and teaching new, constructive ways to deal with stress or anxiety. It has been proven to increase the odds of success, especially when combined with smoking cessation medication. However, qualified, competent specialists can be hard to come by and expensive.

The quest to quit smoking has proven to be a test of willpower for many. The exercising of willpower does not always mean that one must deprive themselves of external tools. In fact, sometimes willpower means doing what it takes to achieve a task and accomplish one’s goals.

COLD TURKEY

The cold turkey method is the most commonly used technique. Approximately 90% of all smokers who attempt to quit endeavor to do so without the aid of nicotine replacement therapy or other medication. It is also the least effective method. It is a challenging method that requires a lot of willpower, but it is also the fastest method and is therefore recommended for people who need to quit urgently due to serious medical issues.

DRUGS AND MEDICATIONS

Nicotine replacement therapies are designed to provide individuals suffering from nicotine addiction a safer alternative to smoking tobacco cigarettes, thereby easing the quitting process. Nicotine replacement therapies can take the form of gum, patches, inhalers or nasal sprays. Non-nicotine Smoking Cessation Medication – Certain prescription medications can be used to help stop smoking. Some of them can even be used along with NRT in order to boost the chances of success. These medications do not contain nicotine, are non-habit-forming and are found to have a slightly higher success rate than NRT. The most popular ones on the market are Bupropion (known by the brand names of Zyban® or Wellbutrin®) and Varenicline (Chantix®).

ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES

Some people use electronic cigarettes to quit smoking in a similar fashion to nicotine replacement therapy. Several brands offer e-liquids of varying nicotine content that can be useful in gradually decreasing your nicotine intake. This avoids the 7,000 chemicals that analogue cigarettes produce. Instead, e-cigs simply utilize a heating coil to gently vaporize the e-liquid. An added benefit of e-cigs over other forms of NRT is that they directly address the habit of smoking itself. These devices are also cheaper than purchasing a pack of traditional cigarettes every day. After purchasing a starter kit for an average of $40, which is cheaper than a standard carton of cigarettes, the only cost is replacing the cartomizer and e-liquid. The average cost for a pack of cartomizers is about $5 for a pack of five. Each cartomizer will last about a week. The standard cost of e-liquid is about $15 for a 15ml bottle. This will last around two weeks. This puts the total weekly cost at about $8.25, as opposed to $42 per week for traditional cigarettes.

COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a short-term therapy that focuses on specific problems in your life. It can be used to help quit smoking by changing the maladjusted thought patterns that make the smoker experience cigarette cravings and teaching new, constructive ways to deal with stress or anxiety. It has been proven to increase the odds of success, especially when combined with smoking cessation medication. However, qualified, competent specialists can be hard to come by and expensive.

Can You Use LSD to Stop Smoking

Thus far studies conducted have demonstrated the efficacy of LSD in the treatment of addiction. A recent analysis using a total of 536 participants within 6 studies, revealed findings that by applying a single dose of LSD in combination with frequently employed alcohol treatment programs, alcohol abuse decreased more rapidly than by employing alcohol treatment programs solely. Further studies produced data demonstrating a strong correlation between LSD and smoking cessation. An online survey was conducted to establish a direct correlation between smoking cessation and naturalistic psychedelic use. The study was based on 358 individuals smoking an average of 14 cigarettes/day for 8 years, with five previous quit attempts. The details are as follows:

  • 38% reported continuous smoking cessation after psychedelic use.
  • 28% reported a reduction in smoking, from a mode of 300 cigarettes/month before, to a mode of 1 cigarette/month after the experience.
  • 34% reported a temporary reduction in smoking during psychedelic use, only to return to their initial level afterward.

Thus far studies conducted have demonstrated the efficacy of LSD in the treatment of addiction. A recent analysis using a total of 536 participants within 6 studies, revealed findings that by applying a single dose of LSD in combination with frequently employed alcohol treatment programs, alcohol abuse decreased more rapidly than by employing alcohol treatment programs solely. Further studies produced data demonstrating a strong correlation between LSD and smoking cessation. An online survey was conducted to establish a direct correlation between smoking cessation and naturalistic psychedelic use. The study was based on 358 individuals smoking an average of 14 cigarettes/day for 8 years, with five previous quit attempts. The details are as follows:

  • 38% reported continuous smoking cessation after psychedelic use.
  • 28% reported a reduction in smoking, from a mode of 300 cigarettes/month before, to a mode of 1 cigarette/month after the experience.
  • 34% reported a temporary reduction in smoking during psychedelic use, only to return to their initial level afterward.

Avoiding Triggers When Quitting Smoking – Knowing What to Expect

One way to avoid triggers is to reduce the number of them. This can be done by figuring out what your triggers are before you try to quit, and by gradually making it so these situations, activities, or places are no longer triggers. For instance, some smokers enjoy lighting up while having a cup of coffee. This can be combated by drinking coffee, and then waiting a few minutes before lighting up. Each day, the time between having the coffee and following it up with a cigarette can extend. Eventually, the smoker will no longer associate coffee with smoking. The same is true for smoking with meals or during any other specific time of day. For instance, if you normally smoke on the way to work, try lighting up when you are almost at the office. Then, wait until you exit your car the next day. Keep extending the timeline until you are no longer smoking before work. There is no way to prevent all triggers. At some point, you will most likely encounter a trigger you didn’t realize was a smoking cue, or you will have to deal with triggers which cannot be avoided, such as stress. When these issues occur, make sure you have a plan for overcoming the urge to smoke.

One way to avoid triggers is to reduce the number of them. This can be done by figuring out what your triggers are before you try to quit, and by gradually making it so these situations, activities, or places are no longer triggers. For instance, some smokers enjoy lighting up while having a cup of coffee. This can be combated by drinking coffee, and then waiting a few minutes before lighting up. Each day, the time between having the coffee and following it up with a cigarette can extend. Eventually, the smoker will no longer associate coffee with smoking. The same is true for smoking with meals or during any other specific time of day. For instance, if you normally smoke on the way to work, try lighting up when you are almost at the office. Then, wait until you exit your car the next day. Keep extending the timeline until you are no longer smoking before work. There is no way to prevent all triggers. At some point, you will most likely encounter a trigger you didn’t realize was a smoking cue, or you will have to deal with triggers which cannot be avoided, such as stress. When these issues occur, make sure you have a plan for overcoming the urge to smoke.

10 Tips to Quit Smoking

Tips to quit smoking
Roobcio/Shutterstock

After you quit smoking, most of the physical withdrawal symptoms will subside after 2 to 3 weeks. Making it through this time is undoubtedly a huge achievement. However, smoking causes drastic and largely irreversible changes to your brain chemistry. Cravings can occur months or even years after quitting smoking. That’s why it’s crucial to stay motivated, use the coping strategies developed in the first few weeks of quitting and to always keep your guard up. Here are techniques you can implement to lay the foundation for success in quitting.

10. Clean Your Home As soon as you’ve quit smoking, take the time to freshen up your home. Wash your clothes, steam the furniture and clean the carpet. The smell of tobacco smoke, even when stale, can be a trigger for your cravings, so ensuring that you won’t be smelling it all the time increases your chances of success. A more pleasant environment will also make it easier for you to deal with withdrawal.

9. Throw Away Your Smoking Paraphernalia Keeping all your old ashtrays and lighters around can mean that you’re not truly committed to the idea of quitting. It may be a hard thing to do, but eliminating those items will make you think of cigarettes less, and might even reduce your cravings.

8. Start Exercising Regularly Try taking up healthy exercise like running or cycling. Vigorous exercise can provide a dopamine release that can replace the one you used to get from cigarettes.

7. Take Up a New Hobby Consider finding yourself a new and interesting hobby such as painting, pottery or creative writing to take your mind off smoking. Use your newly-found interest to occupy your mind and body to help you deal with cravings.

6. Find Your Go-To Healthy Snack When you quit smoking, your appetite increases. Find a healthy snack you enjoy, like baby carrots or celery sticks, and carry it around with you at all times. When a craving strikes, put the carrot or celery in your mouth and slowly nibble on it. It will help occupy your hands and mouth, and the familiar movement will make it easier to relax and gather yourself.

5. Get a Stress Ball When trying to quit, it’s important to find new ways to relax and calm yourself down without nicotine – as well as keep your hands busy. Buying a stress relief ball, silly putty or another simple toy can go a long way towards developing new healthy habits for dealing with stress.

4. Reduce Your Caffeine Intake Nicotine suppresses the effects of caffeine, so after you quit, coffee will have a stronger effect on you. Try cutting back your caffeine intake.

3. Meditate Meditation might sound exotic, but it’s a fantastic way to handle some of the psychological aspects of nicotine withdrawal. Some simple meditation techniques can help you become more aware of your thoughts, actions and feelings, thereby helping you to better understand what’s triggering your cravings. Once you know your triggers, you can learn to avoid them.

2. Drink Plenty of Water Water will speed up the nicotine detox. Water can also help ease your cough by making it easier for your lungs to clear out mucus, and it’s a good way to combat your increased appetite without changing your eating habits too much.

1. Take Deep Breaths Whenever you feel a craving, take a deep breath in and slowly let it out. Stress is one of the strongest triggers for nicotine cravings, and this simple exercise will help you relax and calm down.

Tips to quit smoking
Roobcio/Shutterstock

After you quit smoking, most of the physical withdrawal symptoms will subside after 2 to 3 weeks. Making it through this time is undoubtedly a huge achievement. However, smoking causes drastic and largely irreversible changes to your brain chemistry. Cravings can occur months or even years after quitting smoking. That’s why it’s crucial to stay motivated, use the coping strategies developed in the first few weeks of quitting and to always keep your guard up. Here are techniques you can implement to lay the foundation for success in quitting.

10. Clean Your Home As soon as you’ve quit smoking, take the time to freshen up your home. Wash your clothes, steam the furniture and clean the carpet. The smell of tobacco smoke, even when stale, can be a trigger for your cravings, so ensuring that you won’t be smelling it all the time increases your chances of success. A more pleasant environment will also make it easier for you to deal with withdrawal.

9. Throw Away Your Smoking Paraphernalia Keeping all your old ashtrays and lighters around can mean that you’re not truly committed to the idea of quitting. It may be a hard thing to do, but eliminating those items will make you think of cigarettes less, and might even reduce your cravings.

8. Start Exercising Regularly Try taking up healthy exercise like running or cycling. Vigorous exercise can provide a dopamine release that can replace the one you used to get from cigarettes.

7. Take Up a New Hobby Consider finding yourself a new and interesting hobby such as painting, pottery or creative writing to take your mind off smoking. Use your newly-found interest to occupy your mind and body to help you deal with cravings.

6. Find Your Go-To Healthy Snack When you quit smoking, your appetite increases. Find a healthy snack you enjoy, like baby carrots or celery sticks, and carry it around with you at all times. When a craving strikes, put the carrot or celery in your mouth and slowly nibble on it. It will help occupy your hands and mouth, and the familiar movement will make it easier to relax and gather yourself.

5. Get a Stress Ball When trying to quit, it’s important to find new ways to relax and calm yourself down without nicotine – as well as keep your hands busy. Buying a stress relief ball, silly putty or another simple toy can go a long way towards developing new healthy habits for dealing with stress.

4. Reduce Your Caffeine Intake Nicotine suppresses the effects of caffeine, so after you quit, coffee will have a stronger effect on you. Try cutting back your caffeine intake.

3. Meditate Meditation might sound exotic, but it’s a fantastic way to handle some of the psychological aspects of nicotine withdrawal. Some simple meditation techniques can help you become more aware of your thoughts, actions and feelings, thereby helping you to better understand what’s triggering your cravings. Once you know your triggers, you can learn to avoid them.

2. Drink Plenty of Water Water will speed up the nicotine detox. Water can also help ease your cough by making it easier for your lungs to clear out mucus, and it’s a good way to combat your increased appetite without changing your eating habits too much.

1. Take Deep Breaths Whenever you feel a craving, take a deep breath in and slowly let it out. Stress is one of the strongest triggers for nicotine cravings, and this simple exercise will help you relax and calm down.

How to Help a Quitter

If you’re looking for ways to help your friend, family member or somebody close to you quit smoking, you should start by educating yourself on the effects of tobacco, the nature of addiction, withdrawal symptoms and different cessation methods. This will help you better understand what they’re going through and provide better support for them.

If you’re looking for ways to help your friend, family member or somebody close to you quit smoking, you should start by educating yourself on the effects of tobacco, the nature of addiction, withdrawal symptoms and different cessation methods. This will help you better understand what they’re going through and provide better support for them.

Published: January 28, 2015 Updated: January 8, 2020


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25 comments on “Quit Smoking for Good — A Quit Smoking Guide

  • Abby

    March 17, 2020 at 4:51 pm

    I vaped for 8 months at a 3mg and am 1 week of no vaping. My worst symptoms are the anxiety and panic attacks. How long does this usually last?

  • Washim Raja

    August 25, 2019 at 6:30 am

    After you quit smoking, a lot of good things happen to your body pretty quickly. Within 20 minutes, your heart rate and blood pressure go down. In 12 hours, the carbon monoxide levels in your body go back to normal. And within a couple of weeks, your circulation improves and you’re not coughing or wheezing as often. Vape Guru

  • nufink

    March 26, 2019 at 12:28 pm

    I am just about to turn 60yo and I have smoked cigarettes most of my life at least 20 cigs per day, I have quit on a number of occasions for up to a year or more but back onto cigs eventually.
    I understand the harm it does and how it makes you feel so I really wanted to quit.
    A week ago decided to quit, I achieved the quitting part with the help of vaping, I use a 0% nicotine juice and it has been the easiest of all the times I have quit before, and with fingers crossed this will be the last time I will have to quit. I feel so much better in just a week and vaping is doing the job for me.

  • michael

    February 21, 2019 at 9:55 am

    amy tell euan hes em el wan

  • Noah Dai

    October 9, 2018 at 5:19 am

    Hi, do you have a lot of batteries in LG, samsung, SONY and panasonic?

  • Kay Carbaugh

    October 1, 2018 at 4:44 pm

    I put down cigs 5 days ago and thought that just having one a day wouldn’t hurt, again trying to justify smoking. So today after reading all the posts I came to the conclusion that I am so much stronger mentally than this. So bit off a little nicotine gum piece and warded off the urge. On to a better life and hopefully a healthier one. Still feel whoozie but hopefully this to shall pass.

  • Lynn olson

    September 27, 2018 at 2:20 pm

    nicely said dons I agree with info lay out. 2 thumbs and a huge thanks for the info as I’m trying to make a successful quit – no! I am going to quit this smoking on Oct. 9. I have my date, I’m readying my home and medical providers that have to know in case of a reaction AGAIN as the stress and lack of nicotine in my particular situation can cause serious problems.

    So Steven before you judge how someone needs to quit step back and have compassion. I’m glad if cold turkey worked for you and for those it has worked for.

    I’m getting 2 pens as recommended so no excuse to need to get a cig. again but I’m debating a third with no nicotine in it at all. kinda a placebo- all the all part of smoking I’ve done for 39 of my 51 years and I’m from the forever line of everyone smoked no one didn’t. thankfully that ended with me. now it’s past time for me.

    sorry for length please add thoughts about extra no nicotine extra pen. wishing everyone their goals

  • Steven Polgate

    September 24, 2018 at 7:02 am

    One thing – if you are serious about quitting for good – DO NOT USE ANY TYPE OF NICOTINE CONTAINING PRODUCT TO HELP YOU!!!

    It will not work. That includes vapes, gum, patches etc. You are trying to quit an incredibly powerful drug called guess what? Yeah, nicotine. You have to cease all intake of it for around three weeks to clear your body of it.

    Read Allen Carr’s ‘Easy way to stop smoking’. It’s brilliant.

  • Steven Polegate

    September 24, 2018 at 6:57 am

    Hello.I have just quit smoking after 31 years (I’m 45). I quit because I thought ‘enough is enough’ and really, 45 is about the latest anyone should quit. As well as the decision that I made myself, I read Allen Carr’s ‘Easy way to stop smoking’.

    I urge you to read it if you have decided to be serious about quitting. I hate the idea of ‘self help’ books and have never used one, but I though I might as well. It’s pretty brilliant. In a nutshell, he says not to feel like you’ve ‘given up’ anything, because you haven’t. Thinking that you enjoy it is just an illusion – all you enjoy is getting a nicotine hit. No one enjoyed smoking when they first tried it. Remember you had to force yourself to get through the coughing stage and the disgusting taste. Basically, after literally a few puffs, you are addicted. It’s then a lifetime of feeding that nicotine monster.

    He says the attitude when you stop is key. Be glad, not sad. You’ve just made your life a million times better and all you have to do is go through a few weeks to rid your body of the drug that you have been addicted to for so many years.

    I’m definitely not finding it ‘easy’, but one thing I do know is that I can’t and won’t have another cigarette ever again. The book has helped with that concept immeasurably.

    I’m not on his sales team, I promise. Please give it a go – even if you aren’t ready to quit. Read it and absorb the message – then read it again. As long as you understand it, it will probably work.

    Good luck, you’re just about to change your life.

  • Vicki Victoria

    September 12, 2018 at 7:19 am

    I’m 48. Been smoking a pack a day since 15yrs old… Recently I started contemplating my mortality. Smoking had to go, PERIOD. With my addictive personality I was scared to death it would never work. However, I decided to try the nicotine lozenges along with a vape without nicotine… I began on August 17, 2018. The lozenges are covered by my insurance, and the start up vape kit was about $70.( I chose one of the the more expensive styles ) They have many kits for less. The juice is about $20 which seems to be lasting around 2and a half weeks. It was tough to get used to”vaping” and I coughed a lot at first. BUT, that’s the way I started “smoking cigarettes” so I got used to it pretty quickly. It’s a little less than a month now….so far, I only grab a lozenge about every 2hrs. And the Vape is beginning to slip my mind more and more. I’m only saying that this is working for ME, VERY WELL….and I don’t STINK, LOL. Maybe someone else can benefit from my story. And maybe THIS addiction is behind me along with the other ones I have been able to overcome. All I know is I am heading in the right direction…..and grateful. I feel proud, don’t smell, have money in my pocket, and breathe MUCH BETTER. Good luck to you all. ?Stay strong !

  • mike

    August 25, 2018 at 2:35 pm

    I’ve dipped most every brand of chew (Skoal, Copenhagen, etc.) for over 30 years. I recently bought Smokey Mountain tobacco-free snuff. I’m on my fifth day with no craving for nicotine. Seems strange, but for me, I think I was more of an oral fixation than a nicotine addiction…. Anyone else out there like that?

  • Corynda

    July 19, 2018 at 8:53 am

    help!

  • DonS

    July 4, 2018 at 9:31 am

    I have been involved in smoking and health for over 50 years, dating from the time I worked on the very first report on smoking issued by the Surgeon Generals Advisory Committee in 1964. When I first happened upon this web site I thought it would be your run of the mill advocacy piece trying to push people into trying vaping as the best way to quit smoking. Instead what I found was a web site that is well balanced, factual and well written, that lays out in easy to understand language what works to help smokers quit smoking, but without a lot of confusing statistics and scientific gobbledygook. Congrats.

  • Stu

    May 14, 2018 at 10:27 pm

    Its gotta be time. I hated and loved smoking.i woke up a morning last month and called it. Id smoked for 20 years 20 a day. Id tried to quit. On others advice. I decided id had enough on my own terms. Called it and quit. Didnt tell anyone. No big thing. No pressure. Nobody to hide from. My desicion.

  • Billy Goewey

    April 8, 2018 at 8:36 pm

    I have set the date to quit smoking, after 30 years smoking. My Dear Wife has endometrial stomal sarcoma, hysterectomy found it had spread MUCH farther than thought. All She has asked of me is to quit smoking(she did10+ years ago), and I have finally came to the point I will (and have to before I lose Her). I have the willpower and support, currently cleaning house of all remanents of cigs. Thanks to all for the info here, I WILL BE A NON-SMOKER!!!

  • Andrea Harris

    June 8, 2017 at 1:30 am

    Help

  • Fred Joseph Corsino

    May 12, 2017 at 2:33 pm

    I am 18 hours in and it suck balls. I’ve been smoking 16yrs. My daughter, who is 6, has begged me to stop smoking. I pinky promised her that my last cigarette was my Last Cigarette. Ive never been so motivated to quit. It still sucks and my hands are shaking.

    • Judy Cook

      May 14, 2017 at 10:45 pm

      Hi Fred… My name is Judy…. I just logged in my 52nd day smoke-free and I am so happy that I made it through it… I seriously feel like a new person and I know it was tough tough tough tough for me… Especially those first couple of weeks… what absolutely got me through was an app called Smoke Free… They keep a running total of how much money you’ve saved how many cigarettes you didn’t smoke but most importantly they keep track of how all of the functions of your body are going back to normal… I loved watching that and I can’t even tell you how many times I wanted to pick up a cigarette but I would look at that app and the last thing I wanted to do was start back at square one with my body functions…..I also started to work out more instead of going outside to smoke a cigarette… Seriously quitting smoking made me feel like a part of me was dying because it was a really big part of me…so I completely know it is not easy but after 52 days I seriously have no cravings and I am so happy that I quit… I have three grandchildren and I don’t want to die early and not see them grow up and I think that’s where I was heading… Please contact me if you need moral support… I was a closet smoker so there was really no when I could go to for help…I have written the Smoke Free app and told them that they very likely have saved my life…. it is free… you can pay 999 one time fee and get all these missions to kind of keep you busy and keep you in check… I got them but I would not say that was the thing that made me quit… But it didn’t hurt… Check it out… It is awesome… I will say a prayer for you… Good luck… You can do it… You can do it… You can do it!!!

      • Engr. C. K. Jumbo

        April 10, 2018 at 6:15 am

        Please, I want to appreciates your success story and wish I can experience same too. Help me if you can, I a young daddy with two wonderful kids and can’t imagine them living without me by their side.

      • Jennifer

        May 1, 2018 at 6:01 pm

        Hope you are still a non-smoker, and congratulations for your hard work

  • Sandeep

    April 26, 2017 at 1:09 pm

    I am in the process to quit smoking. I have smoked for 8 years and now my health made me understand that it’s high time to quit or play on my life.

    It’s not that I din’t try to quit smoking in past however, I failed every time. I am always fine when I am not doing anything and I am just at home but the moment I have some tension or I am out of home, I NEED ONE. It was always frustrating to say my self to smoke just one more and then no one but trust me that one more puff of it resulted in looking for more.

    But, Its been been almost 1 month and I have not smoked even 1 and the secrete behind this will power is meditation. It’s a very simple process which helped me to concentrate on my life and gave me the power to thing about my life and the solutions to the problems I have.

    Trust me meditation can help anyone and everyone. All the best!

  • Tami Mcinnis

    April 9, 2017 at 5:29 am

    I quit smoking 4 months ago. The first week I couldn’t think straight for even a second my mind had me so focused on having a cig. The second week was even worse. Not only did I want a cig but I was always angry at everyone. I realized I wasn’t anymore angry then I usually am when I do have a cig. Your still you. That’s very important to know while going through this experience. You think that the stress you feel is worse then you normally feel without a cig. In reality it’s the same, it’s just your addiction talking. Also take every experience you have without a cig as a new experience you are having for the first time without smoking. It’s really hard at first but you can do it. I did it cold turkey and didn’t try too many times in the past to quit. In the last few years Cancer has been more and more on my mind. We are not invisible and that is a good reminder for people to have. I think about it, about once a week now, not much now anyway. And one more thing I would say. Stay away from people during the first month of quitting. People tend to interfere with the process even when they think they mean well.

  • Cat Miller

    March 31, 2017 at 10:10 pm

    Quit smoking was one of the hardest experiences in my life but also one of most rewarding ones. Even today more than a year later I still think about smoking everyday. I decided to write about this so I can share my experience and maybe help other people. If you want you can check it.

    http://thecatmiller.com/2017/03/31/mysmokingexperience/

    If you are trying to quit stay strong! It gets better!

  • Dawn Grant

    December 5, 2016 at 12:27 pm

    If anybody wants to quit smoking or other bad habits then try hypnosis training package that will helps to motivate you and results are 100 % guaranteed.

    • Pokefire

      April 13, 2018 at 4:24 am

      What I think it’s the most effective way of dealing with the urge to smoke to take a walk for a block or two. EVERYTIME I’d get a block or two into it, the urge to smoke disappears.