Quit Tips From the American Cancer Society

• Throw out all cigarettes by breaking them in half and wetting them down. Clean out all ashtrays in your home, office or car and put them away. Discard matches; hide lighters, or give them away.
• When urge to smoke hits, take a deep breath! Hold it for a few seconds........ then release it very......very....... slowly. Taking deep, rhythmic breaths is similar to smoking. Only you’ll inhale clean air, not poisonous gases.


• Exercise to help relieve tension. Climb stairs rather than take the elevator. Park the car a block or two from your destination and walk the rest of the way. At home, practice touching your toes, jogging in place, or doing jumping jacks.
• When you feel the temptation to reach for a cigarette, think of a negative image about smoking. Select your worst memory connected with your smoking habit.....the time you burned a hole in your suit or when you were left completely breathless running for a bus that pulled away. Imagine this experience for 15 seconds whenever the urge occurs.
• Reward yourself with oral substitutes in the same way you may have used cigarettes. Good examples: sugarless gum, lemon drops, pumpkin or sunflower seed, apple slices, carrot sticks, unbuttered popcorn and stick cinnamon.
• Eat three or more small meals. This maintains constant blood sugar levels, thus helping to prevent urges to smoke. Avoid sugar-laden foods and spicy items that can trigger a desire for cigarettes.
• Rearrange or change habits connected with smoking. Drive a different route to work; eat lunch in new place; leave the "scene of an urge". At home, avoid your "smoking chair" after dinner. Reach for gum rather than a cigarette when answering the phone.
• Cleanse your body of nicotine. Drink liquids -- lots of them! Water (6-8 glasses a day), herbal teas, fruit juices and caffeine-free soft drinks all fit the bill. Pass up coffee, caffeinated soft drinks and alcohol, as they can increase your urge to smoke.
• Keep your hands...and mind, busy. Work on a crossword puzzle, knit a sweater, balance your checkbook, fix something around the house, shampoo the dog.