How to Quit the Smoking Habit

Part 1 of a 4 Part Course

Introduction

The concept behind the Smoke Control method is to help you kick the habit and leave you free to enjoy an occasional cigarette whenever you wish.  By the end of this easy to follow course, you maybe able to smoke a few cigarettes a month (or more, or less - its up to you) without any fear that you will become hooked again.

The main problem for many people when they try to just kick the habit in one go, is that this is a very stressful experience.  Sub-consciously though, we have become accustomed to reaching for our cigarettes when we are feeling stressed.   This is why the harder we try to stop, the more we want to smoke and can lead us to caving in when the going gets very tough.  Smoke Control works because it is completely stress free and allows you to smoke when you want to.

Important:  Do not tell anyone that you are giving up smoking.  This way, when you do have a cigarette, you will not have a bunch of people around you saying that they knew you wouldn’t keep it up for long, which is some negativity you could do without.  Another factor in not telling anyone, is that if you do decide after starting this program, that you wish to carry on as before, then no-one else will know about it.

It is also the case, sadly, that some people like to see others fail in their endeavours, particularly those smokers who have failed to give up themselves.  Perhaps they are worried about becoming the last smoker left in their social group.  If you look like succeeding, they will try to make you succumb to temptation.   You may well want to share this plan with them, but we suggest that you wait until you have reached part 4 of the program.


Exercise 1

Next time you want a smoke and you’re on your own and where you won’t be disturbed for a few minutes do the following exercise:  Close your eyes and imagine the process of taking the cigarette out of the packet, lighting it and then smoking it.

Actually breathe in as if you were taking a draw and notice how comfortable it feels to hold, how good it smells and tastes.  Try to experience the relaxing feelings normally associated with exhaling the smoke as you slowly breathe out.  Repeat this cycle for as long as you like.  When ready, imagine stubbing the cigarette out.

You can now open your eyes.  If you still fancy a cigarette, have one.  However, it won’t be as good as your imaginary one.   You might find that you only smoke part of it before putting it out, and more and more you simply won’t want one at all.  Do this exercise whenever you can (even if you can’t shut your eyes e.g. when driving) and you will notice your daily intake will steadily decrease.

If someone lights up near you, sniff in the aroma and enjoy an imaginary cigarette. If offered, say that you don’t fancy one right now but secretly enjoy the imaginary experience.  If you really want one though, have one and do not feel any stress or guilt at all about smoking it.  Just recognise that you made a positive decision to smoke at that moment in time rather than automatically making a habitual response.

Part 2 of a 4 Part Course

The tobacco companies spend billions building up brand loyalty amongst their customers.  Their advertising, sports sponsorship and product placement activities portray lifestyles that we like to be associated with.   Are you the rugged outdoor big country type or a sharp high tech business professional?  Do you prefer cool mountain streams or the noise and excitement of the racing circuit?  What brands do these ideas conjure up?

Brand loyalty is also established through reward systems.   In the early days, this was achieved through smokers collecting sets of cigarette playing cards, featuring perhaps famous sportsmen or vintage cars, which were usually treasured by the smoker’s children.  Today, packs include coupons and vouchers which if enough can be saved, can be exchanged for valuable gifts.

Merchandising can also play a big part, with items such as pens, lighters and even articles of clothing, signalling to others, our endorsement of a particular brand.  What image do you try to project by the brand you smoke?  What assumptions do you make about other people by the brands they smoke?

This part of the course is about breaking brand loyalty.


Exercise 2

Put your expensive cigarette lighter away and start using matches or cheap disposable lighters.

Next time you visit a shop to buy a packet of cigarettes, stop yourself from automatically asking for 20 of your usual brand.  Take some time to study the variety on offer.  Choose a brand that you haven’t tried before.  Buy a pack of 10.

You will not initially enjoy the smoke as much as your usual cigarettes.  However, human psychology being what it is, since you’ve already spent the money you will persevere with them.  After all, you would usually smoke whatever cigarette another person offered you.  By the time you have finished about half the pack, they will probably taste OK.

Challenge yourself to always buy a different brand.  Keep a note of the brands you’ve tried.  If you really miss your usual brand, buy a packet from time to time.

Notice that each brand tastes a bit different and that you will not tend to enjoy the first few cigarettes.  This will by itself have an effect of reducing your intake.  Keep a note of how long it takes for you to finish the pack of 10 cigarettes.  Try to make each packet last longer than the last.

When you finish the last cigarette in a pack, also dispose of the unused matches/lighter (thoughtfully).

Still keep the Part 1 exercise going.

Part 3 of a 4 Part Course

The tobacco companies probably spend more marketing money on keeping existing smokers hooked than on trying to recruit new smokers.   They’re spending billions to try to break your determination to succeed.

If you’ve tried giving up cigarettes in the past and caved in and bought a packet, it is very likely that you felt very disappointed with yourself.  Some people can get very depressed.  Those people that knew you were trying to pack it in, tend to rub salt into the wound as well.

Some smokers will even go to extreme lengths to hide the fact that they’ve started again for fear of embarrassment and ridicule.  Trying to hide a guilty secret can lead to relationship problems.

How is it that the cigarette companies can have this effect on us?  This part of the course is about transferring the guilt and anger away from ourselves and on to the tobacco companies.   

Exercise 3

Are you ready for the first real challenge?  How long do you think you can last between smoking the last cigarette in a packet and buying the next packet?  See if you can beat your previous record.

Once you have achieved what you consider to be a reasonable gap, say three days, be angry that you couldn’t last any longer.  But don’t be angry with yourself though, because it wasn’t your fault.  It is the tobacco companies and their sophisticated marketing techniques you should be angry with.   They have used all sorts of advertising devices to catch you at a weak moment.

But you’re not going to let them beat you without a fight.  As you smoke that first cigarette of this new pack, crush the rest of the pack in your fist as you vent your anger.  Throw the crumpled pack away in the nearest bin.  Also get rid of the matches/lighter (again thoughtfully).  What a waste of money I hear you say.  Why?  You’ve already spent the money and it was going to go up in smoke anyway.  Providing you can hold out at least as long as you did previously before buying your next pack, then you won’t have spent any more money at all.

However, you have saved your lungs a bit of damage.  Although it can be a painful experience to do this the first few times, as you walk away from the dustbin you should feel good that you’ve been able to exercise such control.

Rather than thinking that you’ve thrown away nine cigarettes, just regard the one cigarette that you have just smoked as costing the same as the whole packet i.e. ten times the price of a normal cigarette.  Think how expensive that next cigarette is going to be.  You are going to have to want to smoke very much before spending so much on another cigarette.  Be even more angry that the tobacco companies can make you spend so much money.   When you need a cigarette bad enough that you’ll pay ten times the price for it, buy a packet (different brand), light up and again throw the rest away.  The gaps between your purchases will get longer and longer.

Part 4 of a 4 Part Course

Although this is specified as the last part of the Smoke Control course, this part actually spans the rest of your life.

Exercise 4

Stop buying and carrying cigarettes and do not have any packs in your home or office.

Now that you don’t have any cigarettes on you, you are obviously unable to offer cigarettes to other people.   Because of this, you will almost always decline the offer of a cigarette as you are unable to return the compliment.   Also, other people will automatically stop offering you so often. 

If you really do fancy a smoke, occasionally accept one when offered.  Tell your colleague that you only smoke about one or two a month now and you will accept their invitation but they need to understand that you will not be able to return the favour as you do not carry cigarettes with you anymore.

The reaction of most people to this is one of amazement and envy.  How they wish they could be as strong minded and in control of their minds and bodies as you are of yours.  They will think to themselves that you are a very special and unique person to be able to take or leave a cigarette just like that.  This is the time for you to introduce them to Smoke Control.

If you feel you must reciprocate, take your friend with you to a shop, buy a packet, take one cigarette for yourself and give the rest to them, but don’t let them get too used to this idea!

Of course if you do weaken, just remember that it’s the tobacco companies’ fault and not yours.   Buy a packet and some matches, smoke one, be angry and throw the rest away, but don’t let anyone know about this.  You can go for six months or even a year at a time like this.

The other bonus to this approach  is that if you do have a cigarette now and again, each one is like having that first cigarette all over again.  This can be very satisfying and much more enjoyable than when you were a habitual smoker.


We hope you have found this an interesting, refreshing and enjoyable approach to reducing your cigarette consumption.   Smoke Control does not believe in lecturing people about all the negative health, financial and social issues associated with smoking.   Our system is to take the stress, guilt and feelings of failure out of the process in order to allow easy habit breaking methods to work. 

We are constantly seeking ways to refine this program and we welcome your feedback, suggestions and ideas.  Please tell us about your success, particularly if you have tried other methods and products in the past that haven’t worked for you.

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