You Can Quit Smoking

Consumer Guide


Learn how to get help to quit smoking and improve your chances of quitting. This document explains the best ways for you to quit as well as new treatments to help. It lists new medications that can double or triple your chances of quitting and quitting for good. It also tells about ways to avoid relapses and talks about concerns you may have about quitting, including weight gain.

All information is based on scientific research about what will give you the best chances of quitting.


Nicotine: A Powerful Addiction

If you have tried to quit smoking, you know how hard it can be. It is hard because nicotine is a very addictive drug. For some people, it can be as addictive as heroin or cocaine.

Quitting is hard. Usually people make 2 or 3 tries, or more, before finally being able to quit. Each time you try to quit, you can learn about what helps and what hurts.


Quitting takes hard work and a lot of effort, but you can quit smoking.


Good Reasons for Quitting

Quitting smoking is one of the most important things you will ever do:

Five Keys for Quitting

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:

  1. Get ready.

  2. Get support.

  3. Learn new skills and behaviors.

  4. Get medication and use it correctly.

  5. Be prepared for relapse or difficult situations.

1. Get Ready

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:

3. Learn New Skills and Behaviors

4. Get Medication and Use It Correctly

Medications can help you stop smoking and lessen the urge to smoke.

5. Be Prepared for Relapse or Difficult Situations

Most relapses occur within the first 3 months after quitting. Don't be discouraged if you start smoking again. Remember, most people try several times before they finally quit. Here are some difficult situations to watch for:

If you are having problems with any of these situations, talk to your doctor or other health care provider.

Special Situations or Conditions

Studies suggest that everyone can quit smoking. Your situation or condition can give you a special reason to quit.


Questions to Think About

Think about the following questions before you try to stop smoking. You may want to talk about your answers with your health care provider.

1. Why do you want to quit?

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2. When you tried to quit in the past, what helped and what didn't?

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3. What will be the most difficult situations for you after you quit? How will you plan to handle them?

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4. Who can help you through the tough times? Your family? Friends? Health care provider?

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5. What pleasures do you get from smoking? What ways can you still get pleasure if you quit?

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Here are some questions to ask your health care provider.

1. How can you help me to be successful at quitting?

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2. What medication do you think would be best for me and how should I take it?

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3. What should I do if I need more help?

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4. What is smoking withdrawal like? How can I get information on withdrawal?

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Quitting takes hard work and a lot of effort, but you can quit smoking.


Additional Resources

You may want to contact these organizations for further information on smoking and how to quit.

For general information:

American Heart Association
7272 Greenville Avenue
Dallas, TX 75231
(800) AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

American Cancer Society
1599 Clifton Road, NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
(404) 320-3333

American Lung Association
1740 Broadway, 14th Floor
New York, NY 10019
(212) 315-8700

National Cancer Institute
Bethesda, MD 20892
(800) 4-CANCER (422-6237)

For pregnant women:

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
409 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20024
(202) 638-5577

For More Information

The information in this booklet was taken from Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence, a U.S. Public Health Service-sponsored Clinical Practice Guideline. This guideline was developed by a non-Federal panel of experts sponsored by a consortium consisting of Federal Government and nonprofit organizations:

For information about the guideline or to get more copies of this booklet, call toll free: 800-358-9295, or write:

Publications Clearinghouse
P.O. Box 8547
Silver Spring, MD 20907

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Public Health Service

Current as of June 2000


Internet Citation:

You Can Quit Smoking. Consumer Guide, June 2000. U.S. Public Health Service. http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/tobacco/consquits.htm


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