It is not easy to quit smoking but millions of people do it every year.  You can not only save money by not buying tobacco but you can also save on your health insurance costs.  Your health will improve and your life will be longer if you quit using tobacco of any kind.  Smoking is expensive because tobacco is expensive and, worse, it ruins your health.

A 40-year-old pack-a-day smoker who quits and puts the savings into a 401(k) earning 9% a year will have an extra $250,000 by age 70.

The challenge is that nicotine is highly addictive.  Breaking a nicotine addiction is difficult.  The good news is that there are at least a dozen recognized methods for ending the smoking habit.  If one doesn’t work for you the first time then a different one might work.  Keep trying until you succeed.

Here are some methods and resources to help you stop:

·         Talk to your doctor.  They can help you select methods that might work for you and can help you manage the symptoms of withdrawal. Stop Smoking in 7 Days

·          American Lung Association Freedom From Smoking Online program

·       Nicotine Replacement Therapy.  Patches, gum, nasal spray, lozenges and more are available to help ease off nicotine

·     Zyban (buproprion) is a new prescription drug that tends to reduce the withdrawal symptoms of anxiety, sweating and irritability.

·          Hypnotherapy has worked for some.

·          Acupuncture has helped some people quit

·          Cold turkey is always an option if you can get through that first few weeks of withdrawal.

·          The CDC has some good free resources and information

·          Also see SmokeFree.gov for assistance in quitting smoking

·          Support groups can help alone or in combination with other treatments.  Your first support group should be your family, friends and coworkers who can cheer you on while you are experiencing withdrawal.

In my teens I watched my father quit after a 30+ year 2 pack a day smoking habit.  It was not pretty.  But Dad lived for another 30+ years after that into his early 90’s.  He was convinced that he would not have lived as long if he had not quit.  Unfortunately, Mom died before him in her late 80’s from lung disease that may have been brought on by second hand smoke.  It is only a little bit ironic that Dad quit to set an example for his children and to help Mom with her health.  Maybe it did help but I wonder what would have happened if he had quit smoking 20 years earlier.