Cigarette smoking causes damage of some sort to almost every organ in the body. The risk of certain types of cancers such as lung and mouth cancer and heart disease is much higher in smokers. Smoking is responsible for almost 440,000 premature deaths each year in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute. If you have a friend who smokes, it's natural to be concerned about his health and well-being. However, it can be difficult to know exactly what to do to help your friend quit.
Step 1
Talk to your friend about your concerns. She knows that smoking is bad for her and she may already want to quit. However, she may not have found a good enough reason to give up smoking at this point in time, and your concern could provide her with the motivation she needs. However, if she's resistant to your help, realize that the decision to quit must ultimately be her own.
Step 2
Give him literature on smoking cessation programs. Smokefree, a government-sponsored website designed to help smokers quit, offers useful tools and information that can help your friend design a plan to quit. The American Lung Association also has a free online smoking cessation program that offers an online program and self-help book for smokers who want to quit.
Step 3
Ask her to talk to her doctor about nicotine replacement therapy. Many smokers don't quit because they're worried about the withdrawal symptoms from nicotine. Nicotine replacement is available in patches, chewing gums, nasal sprays and inhalers, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Her doctor can help her choose the right nicotine replacement therapy, as certain methods require a prescription and can cause side effects if she has a health condition.
Step 4
Exercise with your friend a few times per week. Not only can exercise provide him with a distraction from smoking, exercising is a beneficial way to relive stress and keep off extra pounds that often accumulate when people stop smoking. Do something fun together, such as going for a bike ride or hiking in a park.
Step 5
Tell your friend she can call you if she gets the urge to smoke. Social support is crucial when people stop smoking and it can often mean the difference between success and relapse. According to Brown University's Health Services, you can also consider calling or visiting to see how she's doing, which can provide her with motivation and support. Try to focus on things other than smoking when you talk, otherwise you may come across as nagging or preaching.
