The American Lung Society lists several smoking cessation programs that will put you well on your way to making a change you won't regret.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
Nicotine replacement therapy, or NRT, replaces cigarettes with a less harmful alternative, allowing you to wean yourself from the nicotine addiction. There can be unpleasant side effects when you quit smoking, but using nicotine replacement therapy will lessen the physical symptoms so you can concentrate on the emotional side of quitting. NRT includes the use of gum, patches, sprays, lozenges and inhalers. According to the American Lung Association, smokers who try to quit and fail most often attribute the lack of success to the physical withdrawal symptoms.
Freedom from Smoking
The "Freedom From Smoking" program, established by the American Lung Association, is a seven-week, on-site program that walks you through a step-by-step process of eliminating smoking behaviors based on the premise that smoking is a learned behavior. Led by trained and certified instructors, the program teaches stress management, weight control and nicotine withdrawal strategies for staying smoke-free. This program is offered throughout the United States and is often affiliated with local hospitals and health care centers.
Freedom from Smoking Online
For individuals with a busy schedule, the American Lung Association's "Freedom from Smoking Online" program is an alternative. This program uses the same step-by-step process, however, you control how often and how quickly you kick the habit. By logging on to "The Freedom from Smoking" website, you have access to all of the materials that are used in the on-site program. Access to the on-line message board will keep you connected to an online support system made up of individuals who want to quit smoking.
Quitter in You
The American Lung Association also offers on-site "Quitter in You" clinics in partnership with local health care centers in select cities to help smokers quit the habit. These classes are free or inexpensive and run for seven weeks. Attendees receive a workbook, informational brochures, incentives and vouchers for nicotine replacement medications. In 2010, "Quitter in You" clinics were offered in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Richmond, Virginia, St. Louis, Missouri, and Tucson, Arizona, with classes listed throughout the year.
The Five-Day Plan
If you think you can go it alone without a support group, consider the Five-Day Plan, recognized by the World Health Organization, the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association and the American Heart Association as an effective way to quit smoking. Written in 1964 by J. Wayne McFarland and Elman J. Folkenberg, the Five-Day Plan is a step-by-step program that will change your daily habits by breaking the cycle of cigarette cravings and your daily smoking routine. The plan also covers weight loss and withdrawal symptoms. This plan, along with nicotine replacement therapy, has proven to be effective for individuals committed to quitting and who cannot attend on-site smoke cessation programs.
