It's no secret that cigarette smoking is bad for your health, but just how bad may surprise you. Smoking is the most preventable cause of death in the U.S. and is responsible for one in five deaths every year, according to the Office on Smoking and Health, or OSH. It costs the country $193 billion each year in lost productivity and health care expenses. About 70 percent of smokers want to give up the habit, says the OSH, and 40 percent try to each year. The good news is that quitting doesn't have to be as expensive as your daily habit.
Step 1
Go cold turkey. Despite the hype surrounding various nicotine replacement therapies, or NRTs, cold turkey is still the most successful way to quit smoking---and it's dirt cheap. Reduce the amount of cigarettes you smoke by one each day. Or pick a day and stop smoking completely. Drink lots of water and juices to cope with withdrawal symptoms. Chew on toothpicks, straws or vegetable sticks to help curb cravings.
Step 2
Go to a free support group or call a quit-smoking help line, advises the American Cancer Society. According to the Office on Women's Health, counseling at least once a week during the first few weeks you're trying to quit significantly increases your chances of success.
Step 3
Try an over-the-counter nicotine replacement therapy such as a skin patch or gum if quitting cold turkey isn't working for you. These products release nicotine into your body at low levels and in a controlled way, explains the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services. Prices vary considerably based on brand, nicotine strength and whether you're buying in bulk. Shop around and choose the one that best suits your budget. The gum and patch are more budget-friendly than the inhaler or the pill.
Step 4
Exercise for at least 30 minutes five days a week. In a 2007 study published in the journal "Addiction," just five minutes of moderate exercise was enough to reduce cigarette cravings and withdrawal symptoms. As an added bonus, exercise will also help you combat post-smoking weight gain and improve your cardiovascular health, which suffers when you smoke. Cheap or free moderate exercises include walking, light jogging and stair climbing.
Tips and Warnings
- Ask for support from your family and friends. It will be easier to quit if you're not being offered cigarettes or in situations in which you're inhaling secondhand smoke. To stay motivated to quit, compare the cost of any of your smoking-cessation efforts against the daily cost of buying cigarettes.
- The Office on Women's Health warns that smoking-cessation products such as e-cigarettes, nicotine water and spit-free tobacco products have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and haven't been tested to verify their claims. Speak to your doctor about better options. Although the likelihood of addiction to nicotine replacement therapies is low, it's still a possibility. If you suspect that you are becoming addicted to NRT, consult your primary care doctor.
Things You'll Need
- Nicotine gum or patch
