Quit Smoking

The American Cancer Society “Guide to Quitting Smoking” explains why it’s so hard. This lengthy guide covers the effects of smoking on the body and lists social and economic reasons to quit. It describes what happens to your body when you stop smoking (for example, the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal after only 12 hours), and the immediate rewards of quitting. This guide also tells you what to look for in smoking cessation programs.

The U.S. Surgeon General published “Five Common Myths About Quitting Smoking,” available in a PDF document. The article encourages people to stop, with reasons such as “Quitting is expensive.” (Note, however, that the Surgeon General’s estimate that smoking a pack a day costs about $1,000 per year is actually a bit low in light of recent tax increases on tobacco products. For example, in New York, where a pack of cigarettes costs $6 to $7, a pack-a-day habit costs closer to $2,500 annually.)

WhyQuit.com is a site run by a tobacco-cessation educator. If you have the stomach for it, check out the gallery of people who have died from or are currently fighting tobacco-related illnesses, including those caused by smokeless tobacco. Then scroll down to view pictures of diseased lungs and people in the hospital. It’s not the most pleasant site you’ll visit today, but it is effective.

The American Cancer Society has a page for those who want to stop using smokeless tobacco (also known as chewing tobacco). Although it’s not as lethal as cigarettes, smokeless tobacco still poses serious health risks, including oral and tongue cancer.

Smoking Cessation is a nonprofit site devoted to helping people quit, and what sets this page apart is a calculator that helps you figure out how much you’re spending each week, month, or year on cigarettes. Scroll down the left side of the homepage to find it.

The American Academy of Family Physicians

The American Cancer Society can help you figure out the best way to quit by assessing your smoking habits in a six-question quiz.

The American Academy of Family Physicians has a number of smoking cessation resources, including this “Why do I Smoke?” quiz that helps you figure out your reasons and offers alternatives. For people who smoke because of stress, for example, the site recommends other ways to manage tension.

The American Lung Association has a free online cessation program called “Freedom From Smoking.” Completing the program requires free registration at the site. Read the Freedom From Smoking program overview to learn more.

Family Doctor.org has a site that discusses how to safely replace smokeless tobacco once you quit. For some, nicotine replacement might be a good technique, but talk to your doctor to be sure.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has an interactive tool that you can download to your desktop or PDA that gives you a five-day countdown to quit smoking, with tips and resources.

QuitNet has a calendar feature you can use to plan your day to quit and track your progress. You’ll also get daily tips for quitting based on your personal situation.

The National Cancer Institute is part of the National Institutes of Health. Its Web site has a brief overview of the methods used to quit smoking, such as the types of counseling available and nicotine replacement products.

American Family Physician is a peer-reviewed journal of the American Academy of Family Physicians. It has an article that outlines the different quitting methods in more detail and rates their effectiveness. Another table includes the types of nicotine replacement therapy, their advantages and disadvantages, who shouldn’t take which medication, and their average daily cost. The article is a little more technical but still readable.

The American Lung Association describes the various nicotine replacement and prescription drugs available to help you quit smoking. The site describes how the products are used or taken, and the most common side effects.

Healthwise is a nonprofit healthcare information site with a section that also outlines the different types of nicotine replacement available. This site describes who should and shouldn’t use the different products, how they work, how well they work, and their side effects.

The Cleveland Clinic has a page explaining how clinical hypnotherapy works and its benefits and drawbacks. While there are no specifics on hypnotherapy for quitting smoking, the site does provide a solid overview of the technique.

healthfinder.gov was developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and has an article about hypnotherapy and what to look for in a legitimate hypnotherapist.

The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis has a member search page that allows you to search by state and specialty to find a hypnotherapist. There’s no “smoking cessation” specialty, so search “addictions.”

The Cochrane Collaboration is a nonprofit organization devoted to reviewing scientific evidence. This report concludes that acupuncture is not an effective technique for people who are trying to quit smoking, but that it might have some value as a placebo.

Discovery Health explains what to expect from an acupuncturist if you go, but doesn’t draw a conclusion on the technique’s effectiveness.

ClinicalTrials.gov is a clearinghouse operated by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and provides a list of research clinical trials currently underway to test experimental treatments for smoking cessation. To learn more about clinical trials, speak to your doctor, and read the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's guide.

Nicotine Anonymous has a database of meetings throughout the United States and 30 other countries around the world. When we checked, some states only had one or two meetings listed and a few states (Alabama, Arkansas, and Rhode Island) had none. If there are no meetings in your area, use the “Starter Kit” link on the left to learn how to start one. NA also offers meetings via the Internet and telephone.

WhyQuit.com is a site run by a Chicago-area smoking cessation teacher. This page is full of links to online smoking cessation forums.

MSN Groups has an advice column called “Ask Joel,” written by Joel Spitzer from WhyQuit.com. Topics include “When will these cravings subside?” and “Afraid of the agony of withdrawal,” for example.

The National Cancer Institute has a page of fact sheets that cover many aspects of life without smoking. Topics covered include handling irritability and frustration, getting through the morning without a cigarette, and many more.

Smokefree.gov has short articles on managing cravings when you quit, and resources if you slip up.

WhyQuit.com has a “Reinforcement Library” to discourage relapses. The main message through these articles is “Never take another puff.”