Menu Close

Tools to Quit Smoking

Not smoking is one of the simplest ways to prevent cancer.

  • If you don’t smoke, don’t start.
  • If you do smoke, stop.

However, quitting is tough for most smokers. Cigarettes contain nicotine, a powerfully addictive drug. Smoking can become a daily habit that’s hard to break. Many people use smoking to manage stress or improve mood. For some, it’s a social activity. Others fear they will gain weight if they quit.

The good news is there are many tools available to help smokers stop.

This image includes the icon of a smoking cigarette with a red circle and a line drawn through it indicating "No Smoking".

How many childhood cancer survivors smoke

While percentages are dropping, a significant portion of childhood cancer survivors smoke cigarettes. About 19% of childhood cancer survivors who took part in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study reported smoking. That percentage dropped to 14% in follow-up questionnaires. If 14% of the current number of childhood cancer survivors – estimated at about 419,000 – are smokers, that number calculates to more than 58,000.

Childhood cancer survivors have elevated risks for a wide range of long-term health problems. Those risks increase with age. By age 50, more than half of childhood cancer survivors have experienced a serious health problem. The problems include new cancers as well as diseases of the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and hormones.

Cigarette smoking can only add to health risks. It is the most preventable cause of illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

If you have already started smoking, you can quit. It may not be easy. You may have to stop several times before stopping for good. But you can do it.

Create a plan

Quitting smoking starts with a plan. It gives you ways to stay focused and motivated. The National Cancer Institute’s smokefree.gov provides free, evidence-based information and professional assistance to help support the needs of people trying to quit smoking.

It provides 7 steps for building a plan:

  1. Set a quit date. Put it on your calendar. Give yourself time to prepare.
  2. Choose reasons for quitting.
  3. Identify smoking triggers.
  4. Prepare to fight cravings.
  5. Get rid of smoking reminders.
  6. Get help. (There’s a lot of assistance out there!)
  7. Tell friends and family. Get their support.

  1. Set a quit day

    Woman goes on a run.

    Exercise can be one way to stay busy and distract yourself from smoking.

    When setting a date to end smoking, give yourself a couple of weeks to prepare. Make a list of ways to stay busy and distracted from cravings. Smokefree.gov has these ideas:

    • Exercise
    • Get out of the house for a walk
    • Chew sugarless gum
    • Keep your hands busy with a pen or toothpick
    • Drink plenty of water
    • Relax with deep breathing
    • Go to a movie
    • Spend time with non-smoking friends and family
    • Go to dinner at your favorite smoke-free restaurant

  2. Identify your smoking triggers

    Make a list of your smoking triggers. These are the people, places, and situations that set off your urge to smoke. They can be:

    • Emotional: Some people smoke when in a good mood or to escape negative feelings.
    • Routine, patterns: Smoking may be tied to certain activities such as watching TV, talking on the phone, or drinking alcohol.
    • Social: Occasions such as going to a party, concert, or bar may spark the need to smoke.
    • Withdrawal symptoms: These types of triggers include craving the taste or smelling cigarettes.

    Avoid triggers as much as possible. Develop strategies for dealing with them if they occur.

  3. Prepare to fight cravings

    Cravings typically last 5-10 minutes. They can be intense, so make a plan for ways to get through them.

    • Call or text someone for encouragement.
    • Call a help line for quitting smoking. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW to connect to a state quit line. The National Cancer Institute has 1-877-44U-QUIT.
    • Try SmokefreeTXT. This service provides free 24/7 support sent directly to your phone.
    • The QuitGuide app allows people to track cravings and slips by time and location.

    Do not use food to help you fight cravings. It can lead to overeating and weight gain.

  4. Get rid of smoking reminders

    Reminders can be smells, so wash your clothes and clean your car to get rid of cigarette odors.

    Do away with any objects related to cigarettes. These include matches, lighters, ashtrays, and cigarette butts. Put another item, such as nicotine gum, in their place to help you fight cravings.

Tools to help

Along with smokefree.gov, many organizations have free resources to help smokers quit.

  • The Centers for Disease Control’s Tips From Former Smokers® features stories and videos from former smokers. They are targeted to specific groups such as adults with disabilities, LGBT groups, military service people, people with mental health conditions, and pregnant women.
  • The American Lung Association has Freedom From Smoking®. It allows participants to create a personalized plan, build strategies, share experiences, get live support, and learn about medications to help.
Man applies patch

A nicotine patch is one form of nicotine replacement therapy approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Medications

The Food and Drug Administration has approved 7 medications for nicotine addiction. Survivors should consult with a primary health care provider before using one.

They include 5 forms of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT):

  • Patch
  • Gum
  • Inhaler
  • Nasal spray
  • Lozenge

The remaining 2 are non-NRT medications:

  • Bupropion SR (brand name Zyban® if used for tobacco cessation and Wellbutrin® if used as an antidepressant)
  • Varenicline (brand name Chantix®)

The patch, gum, and the lozenge are available over-the-counter. The inhaler, nasal spray, patch, and the non-NRT medications are available by prescription.

Help from family and friends

Finally, tell your family and friends about your plan to stop smoking. Suggest ways they can help. Your family and friends can provide a circle of support to help you on your journey.
Stopping smoking is a challenge, but it is one you can master.

—
The Together by St. Jude™ online resource does not endorse any branded product or organization mentioned in this article.

—
Reviewed: June 2018

Related content

  • Child at cafeteria counter
    Healthy Eating After Cancer

    Healthy eating is important for everyone, but good nutrition is particularly important for childhood cancer survivors. Learn more about nutrition after cancer.

  • James Eversull running a 5K.
    Physical Activity After Cancer

    Most people know that physical activity is good for health. However, for cancer survivors, being active is even more important.

  • Person using sunscreen lotion
    How to Prevent Skin Cancer

    Protecting skin from the sun is the best way to prevent skin cancer, and it is especially important for childhood cancer survivors. Skin cancer is the most common second cancer in childhood cancer survivors.