The number one New Year’s resolution in America is to quit smoking and stay quit for the long term. Unfortunately, many people end up making this resolution year after year without success. The following are tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that can help you quit smoking successfully and for the long term. If you take them to heart, next year you may be resolving to clean out the garage or give more to charity – and you will be a lot healthier doing it.

1. Set a quit date. Many smokers say they would like to quit smoking, but never seem to get around to doing it. There always seems to be some impending stressful situation that makes people put it off. The best way to quit is to set a concrete date and stick to it.


2. Write down why you want to quit. For example, many people quit to improve their health, protect their family from secondhand smoke, increase their activity level, or to take more control over their life. Write down ALL the reasons that apply to you so you will have a list to consult during times when you are craving a cigarette. Motivation is critical to quitting successfully: the people most likely to quit for good are smokers who survive a heart attack.


3. Know that quitting is hard. Nicotine is a highly addictive drug and stopping its use can lead to symptoms of withdrawal that include irritability and intense cravings. No matter how you choose to quit, it will be hard, but if you prepare yourself for this fact, you will be more able to deal with the symptoms of withdrawal that can occur. Give yourself a month to get over these feelings. Take quitting one day at a time, even one minute at a time—whatever you need to succeed.


4. Avoid triggers. Researchers are finding that a lot of the issues people have with addiction involve behavioral aspects: what you do, where you go, who you are with. For example, say you go outside with co-workers every day at noon to smoke. If you are trying to quit, it is best to avoid such situations that may trigger you to smoke, even though you may not want to miss out on the experience. Do not let people smoke in your home. Avoid going to places you used to go to smoke such as bars, at least until you have gone a month or so without smoking. You should also get rid of all cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car, and at work. Avoid alcohol, especially excessive amounts as this can be a major smoking trigger.


5. Don’t “cut down.” Smoking any number or kind of cigarettes can hurt your health. Attempting to smoke fewer cigarettes without quitting completely rarely results in permanent changes; eventually, you will return to and exceed the amount you used to smoke. Smoking “light” or "low tar" is also ineffective because you will just smoke more cigarettes or puff harder, longer, and more often on each cigarette. The only safe choice is to quit completely.


6. Be in the right half. Half of all adult smokers have quit: that means you can do it too. There are millions of people alive today who have learned to face life without a cigarette. For staying healthy, quitting smoking is the best step you can take.


7. Seek support if you need it. Many groups offer support in the form of written materials, programs, and advice to help smokers quit for good. There are also support groups composed of people who are trying to quit and social networks such as the Healia Health Community for Quitting Smoking where you can find tips and share stories. Ask family, friends, and people you work with for their support while you quit.


8. Take medicine. Especially if you have tried to quit and failed several times in the past, you should consider taking medication to help you quit. Talk to your doctor, nurse, or other health care worker about the available medicines. You can buy nicotine gum, the nicotine patch, or the nicotine lozenge at a drug store. Prescription medications include nicotine nasal spray, nicotine inhalers, and the pills Bupropion SR (Zyban) and Varenicline (Chantix). Most health insurance will pay for these medicines, but even if you have to pay for them yourself, the savings you will gain by not buying cigarettes will more than offset the cost.


9. Stay quit. After you quit, don't smoke – not even one puff every now and then. Don't use other types of tobacco such as snuff or chewing tobacco either. If you do "slip up" and smoke, don't give up. This is a common mistake that people make, thinking that have one cigarette or one pack means they have failed and then they slip right back into their old ways. Instead, continue on with your attempt to quit. Many people find it easier to quit once they have relapsed and gotten past it.


10. Keep a positive attitude. You can do it!

For help quitting, call 1-800-QUIT NOW (784-8669) to be connected to the free quitline in your State. To connect with others making the journey to better health, join the Healia Health Community for Quitting Smoking.


_{Sources: CDC Quit Tips,Feb 2008. http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/how_to_quit/quit_tips/index.htm; Help for Smokers and Other Tobacco Users. Consumer Guide, May 2008. U.S. Public Health Service. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/tobacco/helpsmokers.htm.}

_{Photo: Qfamily, Flickr, Creative Commons}