1. Lets start by checking with some pre-preparation to ensure that you do really want to QUIT smoking and to also understanding why you find the need to smoke. Are your  reasons strong enough to help you when you are facing tricky stressful situations? Write down all your reasons for quitting smoking. It might also be best for you to take a look at some of the benefits of quitting too.

2. Set a date for yourself to quit. Choose a date that will be stress free with plenty to do to keep yourself busy. If you can try and set a date within about 3 weeks of reading this list.

3. Ask your GP for some helpful advice and leaflets. This is very important if you have certain health problems or are concerned about issues such as putting on weight.

4. Find yourself a quit smoking partner these can be work colleagues, relatives,  and friends and are usually a good place to start.  When setting the date to quit set it together and you will be able to give each other support.

5. Let all your family and friends about your intentions so they don’t offer you a smoke. Ask them for their support before you quit and explain that you may not be yourself while experiencing withdrawal. When you reach your quitting date rely on those that have been most encouraging for support.

6. Think about maybe starting an keep fit program and a good healthy eating plan. Again speak to your GP or a dietitian. Exercise will give you more energy and help you to relax and relieve stress by taking your mind of cravings.

7. Do you know what triggers your need for a cigarette? Is it such as stress, the end of a meal, drinking in a bar, etc. Try to avoid these triggers while you are trying to quit or if that’s  not possible, decide how you will deal with the triggers.

8. Try to decide what to do when you experience cravings. Deep breathing, a short walk and keeping you self busy will help to take your mind off the need for a smoke. Write some more down to help combat it. Cravings will only usually last for 4-6 minutes at a time.

9. Have you have tried quitting before? Maybe you came across a stumbling block, such as finding something to do with your hands. If this is the case, you need to help yourself with a solution to these foreseeable problems. Get yourself a stress ball or marker, to fiddle with, if  your hands are a problem.

10. Be 100% positive and sure you can quit. You have spent time, money and energy planning how you will tackle with the task ahead. You can and will do it if you persevere. Thousands of people are quitting smoking every day around the world. You can be one of them who do it.

Why Should You Stop Smoking?

1. Improve my personal appearance by eliminating such things as stained teeth and fingers, bad breath, coughing, and smoking
   odor on clothes. Prevent wrinkles and keep my skin nice.
2. Regain my sense of taste and smell, feel more energized and active, sleep better, and eliminate ‘hairy tongue’ and ’smokers cough’ or wheezing.
3. Regain control of my behavior, gaining a sense of freedom, and owning myself again.
4. Reduce health risks, such as the risk of heart disease, cancer, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis. I do not want a heart attack or to have problems breathing.
5. Reduce risk to unborn children and provide a healthy environment for children and others living with me.
6. Save money.
7. Increase productivity by regaining the time I now spend maintaining my smoking habit.
8. Avoid possible injury or upset to others by such things as smoking in restaurants or dropping ashes on them.

Did the ban effect you? Are you standing out side in all weather to keep your habit?

Quit smoking and join the party again.

Nicorette lozenges - Niquitin lozenges both help you quit the habit.

A lot of people know that been a passive smoker or smoking can cause lung cancer, but it can also cause many other types of cancers and illnesses.

Smoking kills around 115,000 people in the United Kingdom every year.

Of these deaths, about 41,500 are from smoking related cancers, 31,600 from cardiovascular disease and 28,100 will die very slowly from emphysema and other chronic lung diseases.

How do cigarettes damage your health overall?

Cigarettes do contain more than 4100 chemical compounds and at least 410 toxic substances.

When you suck on a fag or inhale, a cigarette burns at least 690°C at the tip and around 65°C in the core. This heat breaks down the tobacco to produce various toxins. It’s like accelerated composting.

As your cigarette burns, the residues are concentrated towards the butt where you sucking on.

The products that are most damaging are:
* carbon monoxide reduces oxygen in the body

* tar, a carcinogen (substance that causes cancer)
* nicotine is addictive and increases cholesterol levels in your body
* components of the gas and particulate phases cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD).

The damage caused by smoking is influenced by:

* On how the tobacco has been prepared.

* On the quantity or number of cigarettes smoked

*Or whether the cigarette has a filter

Quiting smoking can only be a good thing for your health and pocket.

With the whole smoking thing in public places and while driving a car it’s a great excuse to STOP NOW.