Smoking contributes to nearly 1 in 5 deaths. The top three causes of smoking-related deaths are cardiovascular disease, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In addition, smoking is associated with a number of other diseases.

Quitting smoking can add years to your life. The sooner the better, it’s never too late to quit. So what are the ways to quit?

1. Stick to Your Plan

Reconsidering your quit plan can make your job easier. Because it helps you stay focused, confident, and motivated to quit. It’s not too late if you haven’t made a quit plan yet, remember: there is no one quit smoking plan that will work for everyone. Be honest about your needs.

2. Get Support

You don’t need to rely on willpower alone to be smokefree. Lean on positive people. Tell your family and friends about your quit day. Ask them for support, especially on your first few days and weeks of being smokefree.

3. Avoid Smoking Triggers

Triggers can be people, places, things, and situations that trigger your urge to smoke. On your quit day, try to avoid your triggers. Throw away your cigarettes, lighters, and ashtrays if you haven’t already. Go to places where smoking isn’t allowed. Change your routine to avoid the things you might associate with smoking.

4. Don’t have ‘just one’

It may be tempting to just smoke a cigarette to satisfy your tobacco craving. But don’t fool yourself into believing that you can stop there. Often, just having one leads to the other, and you may eventually start smoking again.

5. Try nicotine replacement therapy

Short-acting nicotine replacement therapies can help you overcome intense cravings. You have options such as prescription nicotine, non-prescription nicotine patches, chewing gum and lozenges in a nasal spray or inhaler, and we recommend that you consult your doctor about this.

6. Be busy

Physical activity can help distract you from tobacco cravings. Even short periods of physical activity, such as going up and down the stairs several times, can quench the tobacco craving. If physical activities don’t interest you, try praying, needlework, woodworking, or journaling.

7. Remind yourself of the benefits

Write down or say out loud the reasons for resisting the urge to quit smoking and re-consume. Feeling better, being healthy, protecting your loved ones from cigarette smoke, saving money…

Remember, trying something new to beat the urge is always better than doing nothing. Each time you resist the craving for tobacco, you are one step closer to being completely tobacco-free.