First steps

Preparing to quit

Preparing to quit is more than just willpower alone, it’s about being practical. It’s about having a plan, understanding why you smoke, finding an option that’s best for you and having people support you.

Getting support from a trained stop smoking advisor will give you the best chance of quitting for good. Visit our Smoking services page to find your local stop smoking advisor.

It helps to set a date to quit smoking, and be ready for it:

List your reasons to quit.
Tell people you’re quitting.
If you have tried to quit before, remember what worked.
Use stop smoking aids to help you manage nicotine cravings and other tobacco withdrawal symptoms. Quitting with the help of these is about using the right product to fit in with your lifestyle. Your local stop smoking advisor can help you decide which is right for you.
Identify your smoking triggers and have a plan if you are tempted to smoke.
Keep cravings at bay by keeping busy and getting active.
Buddy up with a friend so that you can support each other.