Choosing the Day to Quit Smoking

When is the Best Time to Quit Smoking?

How about NOW!

It's so easy to put off quitting...

Has anyone ever told you that "you'll quit when you're ready"? If you wait for the perfect time to quit smoking, it may never come. You could find yourself facing a serious smoking-related illness while you're waiting "to be ready". Not a pleasant thing to think about, but the fact is, it happens every day. Tobacco kills upwards of 470,000 people in the United States every year. And globally, a person dies a smoking-related death every 8 seconds.

• Global Smoking Statistics

Don't let smoking run your life any longer. Quit smoking now!

Life is busy and it can seem like there is never a good time to quit.
So, what should you do? Go ahead and pick a date. When making your choice though, consider your schedule. A little thought and planning will help you get started on the right foot.

Dates to Avoid When Starting Your Quit Program

Avoid quitting when you are under extraordinary pressure or stress. We all have stress in our daily lives, but if you're facing extraordinary pressure or have suffered a recent loss, you might want to consider giving yourself a little space between the event and your quit smoking date. Quitting takes all of your focus early on, so it makes sense to shift your quit date slightly if you've experienced or anticipate some of the following:

• A big event such as an upcoming marriage, graduation, finals etc.


• A loss or traumatic event, such as a death in the family or divorce


• Other particularly stressful events in your life.

Now, bear in mind that as smokers, it doesn't take much to talk ourselves out of beginning a quit program, so use care that you don't avoid quitting because you're just not ready to face it.

Choose a Meaningful Date to Quit Smoking:

You might want to choose a day to quit smoking that has special meaning for you, such as:

• Your birthday or that of a loved one
• New Years
• The Great American Smokeout
• World No Tobacco Day
• July 4th - Independence day!
• At the start of a vacation

It's so easy to let months and even years slip by before we quit smoking. Once you've picked your quit date, stick to it. Don't change it!

Nicotine addiction is insidious, and the fears we feel when thinking about quitting can be paralyzing. Don't let that happen to you. Get serious, start planning, and set the date to make your quit program a reality.