Smoking Cessation Health Center

Which health care professionals can help me quit smoking?

Many health care professionals can be good sources of information about the health risks of smoking and the benefits of quitting. Talk to your doctor, dentist, pharmacist, or other health care provider about the proper use and potential side effects of nicotine replacement products and other medicines. They can also help you find local resources for assistance in quitting smoking.

How can I help someone I know quit smoking?

It’s understandable to be concerned about someone you know who currently smokes. It’s important to find out if this person wants to quit smoking. Most smokers say they want to quit. If they don’t want to quit, try to find out why.

Here are some things you can do to help:

• Express things in terms of your own concern about the smoker’s health (“I’m worried about…”).
• Acknowledge that the smoker may get something out of smoking and may find it difficult to quit.
• Be encouraging and express your confidence that the smoker can quit for good.
• Suggest a specific action, such as calling a smoking quitline, for help in quitting smoking.
• Ask the smoker for ways in which you can provide support.

Here are some things you should not do:

• Don’t send quit smoking materials to smokers unless they ask for them.
• Don’t blame or criticize the smoker for their addiction to tobacco.
• Don’t criticize, nag, or remind the smoker about past failures.