What Was Your Longest Time Without Nicotine?
Even going a few hours without nicotine proves you're capable of quitting. Think about the longest time you’ve gone without using it: not to judge it, but to understand how to use that experience. That success shows you can break nicotine’s grip. Many people already know how to quit tobacco but need to understand how to prevent relapse. Visit the Quit Timeline to reinforce the lessons from your experience.
What Kinds of Support Did You Use?
There are many kinds of support that can make quitting easier and help prevent relapse. Think about your past quit attempts: what supports did you use, and were you able to use them consistently enough for them to help? For your next attempt, consider combining two or three kinds of support from the list below.
Most of the supports listed below are evidence-based and widely recommended unless otherwise noted.
Types of Support to Consider for Your Next Attempt
Cold Turkey. If you tried quitting without support and it did not work, consider building your next attempt with some of the supports below.
Self-help with advice. There are many kits and apps available from the CDC, Truth Initiative, American Lung Association. If you make a plan, try to stick with it. If you have a slip, go back to the plan.
Physician advice. Most physicians will recommend medication and counseling.
A follow-up visit or phone call doubles the success rate. Use self-help and counseling to set you up for success
Medication. All medication for the treatment of tobacco is free if you have insurance. The most effective medication is varenicline. It is also the least costly if you don’t have insurance. Your doctor will decide which medications are best for you. If you think you are having a side effect, call your doctor.
Counseling. All states offer toll-free telephone numbers (or quitlines) with smoking cessation counselors who provide information and support (800-QUIT-NOW). Many health insurance companies have Tobacco Treatment Specialists who can provide additional support.
Tobacco Treatment Specialists (TTS) are clinicians or counselors specially trained to help people quit nicotine more effectively.
Medication plus counseling. Taking the medication for a longer period and using counseling helps to prevent relapse
Two or more medications. Some people do better with a higher dose or with more than one medication, especially if cravings remain strong. If one approach is not working well enough, it may be worth asking your doctor whether another dose or combination could help.
Integrated treatment at a center of excellence. Many medical centers and hospitals offer treatment programs that combine several of the supports described on this page. Go to [website link to come].
Consider harm reduction. For people who have difficulty quitting and have tried many of the above options, it is important to explore the controversies in harm reduction and decide if that is right for you.
Hypnosis or acupuncture. Some people have success with this approach, as the customer is always highly motivated to spend money to quit. Testing has shown these approaches to be no more effective than quitting cold turkey in people who are equally motivated. If you choose this method, maximize the impact through counseling.
Meditation. Meditation and other breathing exercises can help support an effective quit plan, but by themselves are not effective.