Quit-Smoking Products: Boost Your Chance of Quitting for Good

By Mayo Clinic staff

Quitting smoking is hard, but quit-smoking products can improve your odds of success. Know the options so you can choose the right quit-smoking product.

Want to quit smoking? Several quit-smoking products are available that can help you stop smoking for good. Using a quit-smoking product can greatly increase your chance of success. Only about 5 percent of people who try to quit tobacco succeed without a quit-smoking product. But more than 30 percent can succeed when using a quit-smoking product. You have the best chance at quitting smoking when you combine behavior therapy with use of one or more quit-smoking products.

Some quit-smoking products are known as nicotine replacement therapy because they contain small amounts of nicotine. Others are prescription medications without nicotine. Either type of quit-smoking product can help reduce nicotine cravings and withdrawal symptoms, making it more likely that you'll stop smoking for good.

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10 Ways to Resist Tobacco Cravings

By Mayo Clinic staff

Tobacco cravings can wear you down when you're trying to quit smoking or chewing tobacco. Delaying, avoiding triggers, yoga and nicotine replacement are among the ways to resist cravings.

For most tobacco users, tobacco cravings or urges to smoke can be powerful. But you're not at the mercy of these tobacco cravings. When an urge to use tobacco strikes, remember that although it may be intense, it will be short-lived, and it probably will pass within a few minutes whether or not you smoke a cigarette or take a dip of chewing tobacco. Each time you resist a tobacco craving, you're one step closer to stopping smoking or other tobacco use for good. But it can be difficult.

So here are 10 ways to help you resist the urge to smoke or use tobacco when a tobacco craving strikes, no matter where you are:

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Living Smoke-Free

By Mayo Clinic staff

Quit-Smoking Basics

Tobacco is a killer. Smokers and other tobacco users are more likely to develop disease and die earlier than are people who don't use tobacco. If you smoke, you may worry about what it's doing to your health. You probably worry too about how hard it might be to quit smoking. Nicotine is highly addictive, and to quit smoking — especially without help — can be difficult. In fact, most people don't succeed the first time they try to quit smoking. It may take more than one try, but you can stop smoking.

Take that first step: Decide to quit smoking. Set a stop date. And then take advantage of the multitude of resources available to help you successfully quit smoking.

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