How to Help a Friend Quit Smoking

Smokers who are trying to quit smoking are most likely to succeed it if they have support from their friends, family, and co-workers. You can truly make a difference. Below are some ideas and tips on how to best help the ones you care about.

• ASK how you can be most helpful. Quitting is different for everyone ... so it is always best to ask!
  
  
• BE POSITVE. Tell them they can do it. If they’ve tried to quit before it was good practice for now, and never a failure.
  
  
• CHECK how they are doing. Call or visit and ask how they are feeling whether they are still quit or started smoking again.
  
  
• LISTEN to their feelings about the loss of cigarettes.
  
  
• PRAISE and REWARD them for getting through a day, a week, a month, or two months without smoking. Give them a cookie, a flower, a card, or offer to do a chore for them.
  
  
• DON’T FORGET about them after a couple of weeks. Even months after they quit, keep letting them know that you are thinking about them.
  
  
• GO OUT TOGETHER and do things where you can’t smoke. Eat at a non-smoking restaurant. Go to the movies. Shop at the mall.
  
  
• NO NAGGING. It just doesn’t work. They already know smoking is bad for them and they already know they should quit.
  
  
• UNDERSTAND his doubts and how hard it is to quit. Because nicotine is more addictive than alcohol and cocaine, it isn’t a matter of just not smoking again. And for a lot of smokers, cigarettes have become a part of their life, almost like a friend. It is hard to give up even if they know it is bad for their health.
  
  
• BE PREPARED for some unfriendly behavior. They might be irritable, so be patient.
  
  
• ENCOURAGE them to try different strategies when they get the urge to smoke such as the 4 D's:
  
  
  • Drink water
  • Delay the decision to light up
  • Deep breathe
  • Do something else.

See Tips on How to Quit for more information that might help.

Information above from Tobacco Free Lake County program at the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center and the American Lung Association.