There are many ways to quit smoking, but what are the best ways?  This site is dedicated to finding the best, most effective ways to quit smoking today.

We all know that smoking is bad for us, but knowledge and desire are often two different things.  The fact that you have found this site is an indication that you have at least a minimal desire to quit smoking.

Getting rid of the physical addiction is actually the easy part.

You also need to find out how to kick the psychological addiction.  For many, this is the most difficult part of trying to kick the habit.

Despite the fact that most smokers know the damage they are doing to their bodies, they continue to light up. Non-smokers cannot comprehend why the smokers continue when the scientific evidence is staring them straight in the face.

The answer is simple: quitting is just plain hard.

The nicotine in cigarettes creates a physical and chemical dependency that is not easily broken. Not only that, but the process of smoking becomes a habit, and often a comforting one at that. Removing a smoker’s cigarette can, on some level, be compared to taking away a child’s security blanket.

Nevertheless, quitting as soon as possible is the smart move, especially if you are pregnant, unhealthy, or have children in your home. There are many ways to go about quitting. The best way to quit smoking varies from person to person, based on personalities, living situation, work environment, level of addiction, and support.

Many people find one of the following to be the best way to quit smoking:

• Cold turkey: Quitting cold turkey is perhaps the hardest approach, but it can be done by the truly committed. It requires a strong support system, minimal (or no) temptation, plenty of distractions, and an unwavering commitment to quitting, usually motivated by something very important to the smoker, such as a child or personal health.

• Step Down: Quitting gradually by reducing the number of cigarettes smoked daily or weekly is a gentler version of quitting cold turkey. It is easier to quit gradually, because the body is weaned off the nicotine more slowly. The smoker also has time to replace the hand-to-mouth and lighting up habits with other, more productive habits.

• Nicotine Gum: Nicotine gum provides a small dose of nicotine to help reduce nicotine cravings. It also gives the mouth something to do when it would normally be smoking. The gum can be used in conjunction with either cold turkey quitting or the step down approach.

• The Patch: The patch is actually a series of patches that are worn on the skin. They deliver a dose of nicotine to the body, thus managing the cravings while the person breaks the psychological and habitual aspects of smoking. Gradually, the patches are replaced with lower dose patches until eventually none is needed at all.

• E-cigarettes: These artificial cigarettes address the physical need for doing something with the hand and having something in the mouth. They emulate the smoking process , but with fewer side effects. The replaceable cartridges in the electronic cigarette supply nicotine through a vapor. The smoker can gradually use cartridges with less nicotine as part of a step down approach to quitting.

• Hypnosis: Using hypnosis to quit smoking has proven highly effective for many.  It generally involves several sessions, but smokers notice a reduction in the quantity of cigarettes after the initial session.  It works to address the physiological side of the addiction as well as calm future cravings through the psyche.

Quitting is difficult, but not impossible. It may be a process of trial and error to find the best way to quit smoking, but it can be done.