Navigation, Contact Info, and Legend for the OSH Website
• View By Topic
• Quick Links
• About this Office
Contact Info
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Office on Smoking and Health
Tel: 1-800-CDC-INFO
(1-800-232-4636)
TTY: 1-888-232-6348
E-mail: tobaccoinfo@cdc.gov
Legend
= Link to a PDF document
(Adobe Acrobat™ Reader needs to be installed on your computer in order to read PDF documents.)
Download the Reader
= Link to nonfederal Web site
Disclaimer on nonfederal Web sites
You Can Quit Smoking
Five Keys for Quitting Smoking
Studies have shown that these five steps will help you quit and quit
for good. You have the best chances of quitting if you use them together.
- Get Ready.
- Get Support.
- Learn new skills and behaviors.
- Get medication and use it correctly.
- Be prepared for relapse or difficult situations.
1. Get Ready
- Set a quit date.
- Change your environment.
- Get rid of ALL
cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car, and place of work.
- Don't let people smoke in your home.
- Review your past attempts to quit. Think about
what worked and what did not.
- Once you quit, don't smoke—NOT
EVEN A PUFF!
2. Get Support and Encouragement
Studies have shown that you have a better chance of being successful
if you have help. You can get support in many ways:
- Tell your family, friends, and co-workers that
you are going to quit and want their support. Ask them not to smoke
around you or leave cigarettes out where you can see them.
- Talk to your health care provider (e.g., doctor,
dentist, nurse, pharmacist, psychologist, or smoking cessation coach
or counselor).
- Get individual, group, or telephone counseling.
Counseling doubles your chances of success.
- The more help you have, the better your chances
are of quitting. Free programs are available at local hospitals
and health centers. Call your local health department for information
about programs in your area.
- Telephone counseling is available at 1-800-QUIT-NOW.
3. Learn New Skills and Behaviors
- Try to distract yourself from urges to smoke. Talk
to someone, go for a walk, or get busy with a task.
- When you first try to quit, change your routine.
Use a different route to work. Drink tea instead of coffee. Eat
breakfast in a different place.
- Do something to reduce your stress. Take a hot
bath, exercise, or read a book.
- Plan something enjoyable to do every day.
- Drink a lot of water and other fluids.
4. Get Medication and Use It Correctly
Medications can help you stop smoking and lessen the urge to smoke.
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has
approved seven medications to help you quit smoking:
- Bupropion SR—Available by prescription.
- Nicotine gum—Available over-the-counter.
- Nicotine inhaler—Available by prescription.
- Nicotine nasal spray—Available by prescription.
- Nicotine patch—Available by prescription and
over-the-counter.
- Nicotine lozenge—Available over-the-counter.
- Varenicline tartrate—Available by prescription.
- Ask your health care provider for advice and carefully
read the information on the package.
- All of these medications will at least double your
chances of quitting and quitting for good.
- Nearly everyone who is trying to quit can benefit
from using a medication. However, if you are pregnant or trying
to become pregnant, nursing, under age 18, smoking fewer than 10
cigarettes per day, or have a medical condition, talk to your doctor
or other health care provider before taking medications.
- For information on FDA-approved medications, call
1-800-QUIT-NOW. To find out more about prescriptions, contact your
health care provider.
5. Be Prepared for Relapse or Difficult Situations
Most relapses occur within the first three months after quitting.
Don't be discouraged if you start smoking again. Remember, most people
try several times before they finally quit. The following are some difficult
situations you may encounter:
- Alcohol: Avoid drinking
alcohol. Drinking lowers your chances of success.
- Other smokers: Being
around smoking can make you want to smoke.
- Weight gain: Many
smokers will gain some weight when they quit, usually less than
10 pounds. Eat a healthy diet and stay active. Don't let weight
gain distract you from your main goal—quitting smoking. Some quit-smoking
medications may help delay weight gain.
- Bad mood or depression:
There are a lot of ways to improve your mood other than smoking.
Some smoking cessation medications also lessen depression.
If you are having problems with any of these situations, talk to
your doctor or other health care provider.
For more information on quitting, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit
www.smokefree.gov
Page last updated 02/28/2007