Getting rid of the vicious habit of cigarette smoking may seem difficult, but with the right discipline from yourself and enough support from the people around you, it is possible to quit smoking once and for all.

Do you know that as much as 15 billion cigarettes are sold all over the world every day? That’s equivalent to 10 million sticks per minute!

And do you know that each cigarette stick you smoke contains thousands of chemicals that are harmful to your body? There are a host of diseases a smoker is likely to get – lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, ischaemic heart disease, and cancers of the larynx, esophagus, and the oral cavity. And these are just a few of the many consequences of smoking!

Finally, do you know that an adult smoker loses more than 10 years of his life due to excessive smoking?

With all these said, why can’t smokers stop the harmful habit of smoking? Ask them and you’ll get one common answer: “It’s difficult to quit.” Sure, it’s hard to break the bad habit, but it CAN actually be done! Here are some helpful tips to finally break the vicious cycle of cigarette dependency:

1. Tell yourself you’re gonna quit! We are all aware that cigarette smoking is dangerous to our health. In fact, all cigarette advertisements even warn consumers about it. So, develop the guts to quit smoking and you’re on your first step to finally breaking a negative habit in life.
2. Think of the people around you. Constantly remind yourself that healthy non-smokers such as your friends and family are also at risk of contracting life-threatening diseases whenever they inhale second-hand smoke from your burning cigarette. If you really care, you’ would stop smoking.
3. Explore your options. Look for oral substitutes like gum or candy to remove your attention from that dangerous stick. You may also opt to undergo a nicotine replacement therapy. Among the alternatives available are nicotine gums, patches, inhalers, and lozenges.
4. Stay away from bad influences. Avoiding persons and places that tempt you to take a puff will help a lot. Many teenagers say that they tried smoking because they have friends who smoke. So, find friends who know better. Besides, there are other ways – healthy ways – to have clean fun!
5. Keep yourself busy. Distract yourself from the urge to smoke. Engage in exercise or sports such as basketball or swimming. When you look around, there are actually dozens of healthier alternatives than cigarette smoking.
6. Seek help. Former smokers who were able to quit smoking cite the importance of support from family, friends, as well as medical institutions. Help is always available. A good number of groups offer counseling services to those who want to quit. There are also smoke cessation clinics in hospitals that can help you get rid of the habit.

There’s nothing wrong with being a cigarette quitter. Sure, a lot of people find it cool to smoke. But eventually, you’ll realize that it is way cooler to give up the habit before it’s too late.