• Pick a date to quit and stick to it.
• Get rid of ALL tobacco products including cigarettes, chew tins/pouches and ashtrays in your house, car and workplace. If these items are out of reach, you are less likely to relapse into your old habit.
• Ask people not to smoke around you and avoid situations where you know tobacco will be present.
• Think about what did not work from your last quit attempt. Determine how you can avoid the same problems this time.
• Once you quit, do not smoke – not even one puff!

• Notify all your friends, family and co-workers about your quit attempt and ask them not to smoke around you.
• Visit your healthcare provider for additional tips, advice and support.
• Seek counseling. Free help is available through the American Cancer Society’s toll-free Quitline at 1-877-YES-QUIT.
• Find a program that works for you. Many are available at hospitals and health centers.

• Distract yourself from tobacco cravings by staying busy.
• Change up your daily schedule at first. Take a different route to work or try walking instead of driving if you can. Try a new place for lunch (in a smoke-free restaurant) or make plans to meet someone for a break.
• Seek out stress-reducing activities. Drink some hot tea, make a trip to the gym, take a bubble bath or check out a book you want to read.
• Make plans to do something you enjoy every day. This will keep your spirits up and your mind off tobacco.
• Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water and other liquids.

Take Advantage of Available Medications and Use Them Correctly

• Try an over-the-counter quitting aid approved by the Federal Drug Administration. These include nicotine gum, patches and lozenges.
• See your healthcare provider about a prescription for nicotine inhalers, nasal sprays or patches.
• Discuss any of these products–prescription or not–with your healthcare provider before using any medications.

Prepare for Relapse or Challenging Times
It takes practice to become successful at anything in life, and quitting smoking is no exception. Many quitters relapse around the three-month mark of their quit attempts. Stay positive, and try again. Learn from each attempt, and change your course of action until success is permanent.

Certain factors increase the odds of a relapse.

• Alcohol – Drinking will lower your chances of a successful quit attempt.
• Other smokers – Being around smoke will make quitting very difficult. Others should be considerate of your quit attempt and agree to not smoke around you if you ask.
• Weight gain – Some smokers gain weight (usually less than 10 pounds) during their quit attempt. Do not let it discourage you. Eat healthy meals and exercise regularly. Minor weight gain is less harmful than smoking, and exercise will become easier after you’ve quit tobacco.
• Bad mood or depression – If you use tobacco to ward off a bad mood or depression, try another enjoyable activity. You may also consult your doctor about medications to help you quit and decrease depression.