Who can help me quit smoking?
Since only your doctor knows your personal medical history, it is best to discuss what quit-smoking options may be best for you with your doctor.
Local quit-smoking programs that are free or have a minimal cost:
Visit or call a quit-smoking specialist for an appointment. Try our list of local treatment programs in Boston, Cambridge, Revere, and Somerville.
If you live outside of the Boston area, call the Smoker's Quitline at 1-800-TRY-TO-STOP. The Smoker's Quitline is open Monday through Thursday 9AM to 9PM and Friday 9AM to 5PM.
Web sites designed to help you quit smoking
TRY-TO-STOP, sponsored by the MA Department of Public Health, offers the QuitWizard-an interactive tool to help smokers by providing individualized plans to quit. The site also presents success stories, smoking-related facts, e-cards to support someone who is trying to quit, resources to links for smoking cessation, nicotine replacement therapy information, and websites that offer information in Spanish.
The site provides extensive support by counselors from the Massachusetts Quitline through the first days of being smoke-free and special information related to cravings and relapse.
www.quitnet.org This site allows you to search for a program near you. Quitnet has a chart that compares all the different tobacco quit-smoking options to help you decide which one is best for you. It also provides a wide range of personalized quit-smoking services including counselors.
Tips before you quit:
Set a quit date. Most experts agree that you have to have completely be smoke-free to be successful, and setting a quit date is an important part of that.
Talk to your provider about your treatment before you begin a therapy. Some therapies require a prescription.
Write a list of reasons why you want to quit in detail. For example, "I want to quit for my health" or "I don't want to suffer from lung cancer like my dad did."
Realize this is not an easy commitment. You may not succeed the first time, but trying is one more step in the right direction. If you go back to smoking, understand this is part of the of the process of quitting. Look at why you went back to smoking so that when you are ready to quit again you can plan ahead. There is no such thing as failure.
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