Those who want to quit smoking might take these steps:

• Identify the times when they usually reach for a cigarette out of habit.
  
• Change their daily routine so that they avoid situations that trigger smoking.
  
• Avoid people who smoke and situations that are conductive to smoking during the first few weeks.
  
• Make a list of the reasons they want to quit smoking, post it around the house, and read it when they feel like smoking.
  
• Chew sugarless gum, suck on sugarless candy, or munch on carrot sticks or other healthy snacks when they feel a desire for cigarettes.
  
• Drink plenty of water to flush out toxins.
  
• Avoid alcohol, coffee, tea, and colas for a while because these substances often stimulate the craving for tobacco.
  
• Exercise frequently.
  
• Think in terms of quitting for a few minutes, then an hour, and then a day, saying things to themselves like, "I choose not to smoke during this hour," or "I have to do this only one day at a time."
  
• Take deep breaths to aid relaxation when the craving to smoke gets strong.
  
• Brush their teeth often to remove tobacco residue.
  
• Stop buying cigarettes by the carton; buy them by the pack instead.
  
• Set a final target date for being tobacco-free and stick with it.
  
• Make a ceremony out of smoking the last cigarette, and declare their intentions to family and friends.
  
• Get rid of smoking reminders, such as ashtrays, matches, and lighters.
  
• Plan rewards for themselves each time they resist lighting up.
  
• Become aware of improvements in how they feel, in their senses of smell and taste, and how they look.
  
• Get positive reinforcement and support from nonsmoking friends.
  
• If they relapse, or go back to smoking, know that they are not failures and that they can try to quit again.
  
• Think about all of the benefits of being smoke-free.