Smoking

Choose a date and prepare for difficult times

Set a quit date, then find your most automatic cigarettes: with coffee, after a meal, during a break or in the evening. Prepare another action for each, such as walking after a meal or taking your break in a place without cigarettes. Remove packages, lighters and ashtrays from your environment and notify people who can support you.

Use aid that reduces the lack

A pharmacist, doctor or tobacco specialist can help you choose and adjust nicotine substitutes. A patch provides nicotine throughout the day; a gum, lozenge or other quick form can supplement this aid during cravings. The goal is to control the withdrawal while you stop smoking, with a dosage adapted to your addiction.

Prepare a response to the desire

When the urge comes, change your situation: get up, drink water, walk or occupy your hands. Use the alternate quick form if it is part of your plan. Think “I’m passing this craving” rather than all the cigarettes in your life. If the urges remain very strong or repeated, have your help adjusted instead of relying solely on willpower.

Resume after a gap

Smoking one cigarette does not mean you need to finish the pack or wait another month to try again. Note what triggered the lapse and prepare a different response for next time. For support, ask a doctor, pharmacist or local stop-smoking service and use the public-health resources available in your country. Keep regular meals and daily activity during this period.

If you use an electronic cigarette

For a smoker, completely replacing cigarettes with vaping reduces exposure to substances produced by combustion and can help quit. The immediate objective is to get rid of smoked tobacco, rather than keeping both for a long time. You can then consider stopping vaping when stopping smoking is stable; If you don't smoke, starting to vape is of no benefit to this process.