The best thing you can do for your life and your health is to quit smoking. Every attempt to quit will make you stronger, and your odds of success increase with each attempt. The average smoker will try to quit several times before they become smoke-free for good.

Some tips to help you butt out:

Find Your Reason(s) – To stay motivated, you need a powerful, personal reason to quit. It may be to protect your family, lower your chance of getting lung cancer, heart disease, or other conditions, to save money, or to look and feel healthier. Choose a reason that is strong enough to outweigh the craving.

Pick a Date – Picking a quit day gives you a deadline and a chance to mentally prepare yourself. Pick a date within the next two weeks and stick to it. Don’t wait for the ‘right day’ because it will never come.

Tell Everyone – Tell your friends, family, co-workers and other acquaintances that you’re trying to quit. They can encourage you to keep going, and keep you accountable.

Change Up Your Routine – For most smokers, the cigarette is part of the daily routine. You may smoke in the car, or at certain times of the day. Change things up to avoid the habitual reach for the cigarette. Carry gum or healthy snacks in the car with you. Drink a glass of water or take a walk instead of stepping outside to light up at the usual time.

Practice the 4 D’s 

1. Delay – Most cravings only last a few minutes. Wait it out, the urge will pass
2. Distract – Do something to take your mind off the craving
3. Deep Breathing – Inhale through your nose and hold your breath for a count of 5 , slowly release. Repeat to reduce the craving and ease anxiety.
4. Drink Water – Drinking a glass of water will replace the hand to mouth motion of smoking and help reduce cravings.

Ask for Support – If you smoke at work ask the people you usually go outside with not to ask you. Make your home and car a smoke-free zone so that you’re not tempted by the second-hand smoke of others. There are also plenty of online support groups, such as Smoker’s Helpline that can provide support, encouragement and tips from others trying to quit. If you want a little more incentive you can even Quit to Win.

Try Nicotine Replacement Therapy – While it may seem counterproductive to ingest the same addictive chemical you’re trying to kick, studies show that using nicotine replacement therapy increases your chances of long term success by 50-60%. Ask your Super Thrifty pharmacist about the many different NRT options, such as gum, patches, inhalers and more. We can even create NRT lollipops – in a slew of great flavours – that will quiet the nicotine craving and mimic the hand to mouth action of smoking. Many Super Thrifty pharmacists are also qualified to prescribe medication for smoking cessation, such as Champix, without the need for a visit to the doctor.

Focus on Today – When we consider quitting we can become paralyzed by the thought of never lighting another cigarette. Try to stay in the here and now and don’t worry about the future. Just focus on getting through today. Each day you put between you and your last cigarette makes you stronger and healthier.

Reward Yourself – In addition to better overall health, quitting smoking will save you a considerable amount of money. Reward yourself by spending part of it on something nice for you.

Try and Try Again –  If you slip up, forgive yourself, then keep trying. Set another quit date within the next month. Every attempt to quit brings you closer to smoke freedom.

Despite all the great reasons to butt out, many smokers find it hard to kick the habit. Remember, you are so much stronger than the craving. Your health is so much more important than the cigarette. You can set yourself free. Ask your Super Thrifty pharmacist how we can help.