Use free support to quit nicotine
Pair a quit plan with free coaching and approved quit medicines, which work better than willpower alone.
- How often
- As needed
- Time
- 15 min to start
- Recommended for
- 1 factor
How to do it
- Pick a quit date in the next two weeks and tell people who can support you.
- Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) for free coaching, or use the free texting and app programs at smokefree.gov.
- Ask a doctor or pharmacist about nicotine patches, gum or lozenges, or prescription quit medicines, and how to combine them.
- Write down your triggers (coffee, driving, stress, drinking) and plan what you will do instead, such as a short walk or slow breathing.
- If you slip, do not treat it as failure. Most people need several tries; note what happened and set a new date.
Why it helps
Nicotine in cigarettes and vapes is highly addictive, so cravings and irritability are expected when you stop, and they ease with time. Counseling and FDA-approved medicines each improve your chances of quitting, and using them together works best. Benefits to your heart and lungs begin soon after your last cigarette.
Be careful
Talk to a doctor before using quit medicines if you are pregnant, have heart disease, or have a history of depression or other mental health conditions. Using e-cigarettes alongside cigarettes does not give the benefits of quitting.