Quitting Takes Hard Work and a Lot of Effort, but—

You Can Quit Smoking

Support and Advice From Your Clinician

A Personalized Quit Plan For:

Name:_________________________________

Want to Quit?

• Nicotine is a powerful addiction.
• Quitting is hard, but don't give up.
• Many people try 2 or 3 times before they quit for good.
• Each time you try to quit, the more likely you will be to succeed.

Good Reasons for Quitting:

• Your will live longer and live healthier.
• The people you live with, especially your children, will be healthier.
• You will have more energy and breathe easier.
• You will lower your risk of heart attack, stroke, or cancer.

Tips to Help You Quit:

• Get rid of ALL cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car, or workplace.
• Ask your family, friends, and coworkers for support.
• Stay in nonsmoking areas.
• Breathe in deeply when you feel the urge to smoke.
• Keep yourself busy.
• Reward yourself often.

Quit and Save Yourself Money:

• At $3.00 per pack, if you smoke 1 pack per day, you will save $1,100 each year and $11,000 in 10 years.
• What else could you do with this money?

Five Keys for Quitting

1. Get Ready.

• Set a quit date and stick to it—not even a single puff!
• Think about past quit attempts. What worked and what did not?

1. Your Quit Date:

__________________________________

2. Get Support and Encouragement.

• Tell your family, friends, and coworkers you are quitting.
• Talk to your doctor or other health care provider.
• Get group, individual, or telephone counseling.

2. Who Can Help You:

__________________________________

__________________________________

3. Learn New Skills and Behaviors.

• When you first try to quit, change your routine.
• Reduce stress.
• Distract yourself from urges to smoke.
• Plan something enjoyable to do every day.
• Drink a lot of water and other fluids.

3. Skills and Behaviors You Can Use:

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Get Mediction and Use It Correctly.

• Talk with your health care provider about which medication will work best for you:
• 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 over-the-counter.

4. Your Medication Plan:

Medications:__________________________________

Instructions:___________________________________

____________________________________________

Be Prepared for Relapse or Difficult Situations.

• Avoid alcohol.
• Be careful around other smokers.
• Improve your mood in ways other than smoking.
• Eat a healthy diet and stay active.

5. How Will You Prepare?

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Quitting smoking is hard. Be prepared for challenges, especially in the first few weeks.

Followup plan:_______________________________________________

Other information:____________________________________________

Referral:___________________________________________________

___________________________________________
                  Clinician                            Date

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