For light smokers, those with a strong desire to quit, or those who have difficulty accessing medications or behavioral therapies, using an appropriate self-directed smoking cessation program can be successful in their efforts to quit. How do I quit smoking? Every smoker who wants to quit needs a strategy that works for him or her. According to a recent British study, 69% of adult smokers want to quit. Nicotine is a strong addictive drug, so quitting is not easy, even for someone who has a strong desire to do so. We know that initial quit attempts are always unsuccessful, so smokers must be prepared to make multiple attempts. These cyclical cessation efforts cannot be ignored in primary or initial interventions, and individuals must experiment with different interventions to find the best option and be aware that it may take several attempts before a successful option is found. Every person who tries to quit should realize that a small setback in the quitting process is not a failure of the entire program, but simply a small retreat from eventual success. The support of health care providers, family, and friends is essential for most smokers who want to quit. Health care professionals can provide a general program at no additional cost or materials; it requires only partial dedication from the smoker and the smoker’s family and friends. Strategies are as follows: Commit to quitting: Identify motivation and desire to quit Talk to your doctor, discuss medications and strategies for wanting to smoke again, and increase your chances of success Choose a quit date and do not try to be slapdash; quit completely from the quit date Remove all tobacco-related devices and wash all clothes and cars before the quit date; stop smoking in your home and car immediately; do not go to places that tend to smoke Do not consider diet until it is safe to quit Ensure and enlist the support of colleagues, friends, and family to encourage quitting and staying quit If a father or mother, set an example for your children Learn how to avoid or enable situations and behaviors that make you want to smoke Comprehensive smoking cessation interventions are most effective. Behavioral therapies alone are often not enough to lead to cessation; nicotine replacement methods or non-nicotine pharmacotherapy are often more beneficial to smokers. Because smokers are addicted to the nicotine in cigarettes, administrators meet the smoker’s need for nicotine through a form of pharmacological substitution, such as pills, smoking cessation patches, or chewing gum. Nicotine replacement therapy has been shown to be 1X more successful than those who quit without this therapy. For many smokers who quit, nicotine replacement therapy relieves withdrawal symptoms while physically and psychologically helping the implementation of smoking cessation. Non-nicotine pharmacotherapies, like bupropion, through a different route of action than nicotine replacement therapy, have also been shown to be twice as effective as conventional methods in helping smokers successfully quit. Behavioral therapies can help smokers overcome the social and psychological inducements to smoking. Smokers attempting to quit must recognize the possibility of withdrawal symptoms before attempting to quit: irritability, impatience, hostility, anxiety, emotional depression, poor concentration, insomnia, restlessness, and increased appetite and weight gain. Physiological withdrawal symptoms are usually the result of sudden nicotine withdrawal. In these cases, nicotine replacement therapy or other pharmacologic interventions may be considered. Weight gain is a common concern for people who intend to quit smoking, especially women. Although smokers should be considered for the possibility of weight gain, an average weight gain of 5-7 pounds is almost negligible relative to the health risks associated with smoking. Dieting should not be considered, except until after successful cessation, when the risk of relapse is elevated. Smokers who are trying a cessation program should take advantage of social and family support networks, and likewise take advantage of the support and self-help materials available from health care workers. There is hope for success: In Hong Kong, more than 100,000 people have successfully quit smoking in the past three years. Quitters should recognize that although quitting is a difficult process, millions of smokers have successfully quit.