Quitting smoking is not easy, but it can be done! If you’re ready to say goodbye to this dangerous habit, check out our tips below.
The good news is that at a younger age, you haven’t spent decades smoking. The best time to quit is now, and here are some helpful resources.
1. Seek support
Almost everything feels possible when you have the support of your friends and family. When you’re ready to quit smoking, let your friends and family know. If you don’t have a good support system available, let a counselor or trusted adult know that you want to quit smoking.
A counselor might direct you to other resources like the program Quit4Life for additional support. Quit4Life is a 10-week, four-step group program offered by the Gov’t of Canada that is geared towards Canadian youth who are looking for help to quit smoking. For more information, you can check out their website.
2. Write it down
Sometimes it is easier to accomplish a challenging goal like quitting smoking if you write down your plan. You might include information like why want to quit smoking, when you want to quit smoking, how you intend to complete your goal, and what you want to do with the money you will save by not smoking cigarettes. You should keep this information somewhere you will see it everyday, so you can be reminded of your goal.
3. Get rid of your cigarettes
You will have a hard time quitting smoking if you hold onto packs of cigarettes or accessories. When you decide to quit, you should wait until you don’t have any cigarettes left or plan to throw them away. It’s also recommended that you get rid of any ashtrays or lighters as they will remind you of your old habit.
4. Alternatives to Smoking
Going cold turkey can be tough, and a lot of people have had great results by switching to vapes, gum, and other products. Nicotine is less harmful than smoking cigarettes, to finding a different delivery method is a good start.
If you try vaping, think of it as an alternative to smoking and a way to help you quit, and then phase yourself off of that eventually, too. If you’re in Canada, some companies have online stores where adults and teens over 18 years of age can order80Smoke has e liquids online.
5. Keep busy
Some teenagers have more success quitting smoking when they start at the beginning of the week. When you are busy with classes and extracurriculars, you have less time to think about smoking, so you might not notice that it has been hours since your last cigarette.
This will be a good time to learn a new hobby or volunteer your time with someone in need. If you find that you need to keep your mouth busy, you can chew sugarless gum or snack on healthy snacks like celery and sunflower seeds. For people who need to keep their hands busy, you can try playing with a squeeze ball, crochet, or hold a pen between your fingers.
