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	I'm ready to stop smoking. What do I need to know?

You probably know already that quitting tobacco isn't easy. That's because the nicotine in tobacco is highly addictive. Stopping tobacco use can cause withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, irritability, frustration, anger, trouble concentrating, restlessness, and nicotine cravings. You can get help through counseling support groups, over-the-counter aids, prescription drugs and alternative therapies. Individual counseling and group support can help you to identify smoking triggers and develop coping skills. Studies prove that products such as nicotine patches, >gum, >inhalers, >nasal spray, and the oral drug bupropion (brand name >Zyban) help people quit smoking. Some people also try alternative therapies. Here are some tips to help stop smoking: Pick a "quit date"—a selected day to stop smoking. Then take time beforehand to prepare. Stock up on sugarless gum, hard candies, and other low calorie snacks before stopping. Avoid situations that will tempt you to smoke. Practice coping skills, such as deep breathing and distraction. Get plenty of sleep, eat a healthy diet, and exercise regularly. Calculate the money you'll save on tobacco. Plan to spend it on a fun reward for quitting. Set up a support system with your friends and family. Tell them what you're doing and ask for their help. If you slip up, don't stop trying. It takes an average of three to four attempts to stop smoking permanently. Relapses can teach you how to be more successful next time. Remind yourself often of all the health benefits you get from quitting. Stopping greatly reduces your risk for life-threatening diseases such as lung cancer and heart disease. Quitting now also lowers your risk for lung diseases such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema. And because your loved ones won't have to breathe your smoke anymore, you'll be protecting their health as well. Sources: The AHCPR Smoking Cessation Clinical Practice Guideline, Journal of the American Medical Association 275 (1996). Jorenby DE. “A Controlled Trial of Sustained-Release Bupropion, A Nicotine Patch, or Both For Smoking Cessation,” The New England Journal of Medicine 340 (1999). Kaye, L. "Pharmacologic and Behavioral Approaches to Smoking Cessation," Hospital Medicine 34 (1998). Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach. Appleton & Lange, 1999. Haxby, D.G. "Treatment of nicotine dependence," American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy 52 (1995). American Cancer Society Tobacco Information. http://www.cancer.org/tobacco/index.html, last accessed 8/9/01. This answer prepared 8/9/01.