For much of the 20th century, smoking was commonplace in the United States. Cigarettes were cheap. Ashtrays were everywhere. A long, slow drag from a cigarette was a dramatic standard for characters on movies and TV shows. For decades, smoking wasn’t even considered unhealthy—in fact, doctors were even used to advertise cigarettes in the 1940s and 50s.
The ubiquity of smoking began to change with research on the health impacts of cigarettes starting in the 1960s, and public attitudes towards it took another dramatic turn when research showed the dangers of secondhand smoke in the 1980s. Smoking went from accepted and expected to taboo in a relatively short period of time, but as people decided to try to quit, it became clear how addictive cigarettes really are.
Beating a nicotine addiction and smoking habit is notoriously difficult, but millions of people have proven that it’s possible. Someone asked ex-smokers to share what finally got them to quit cigarettes for good, and the answers contain an important lesson for anyone who is trying to make or break hard habits in their lives—just because one thing doesn’t work for you, it doesn’t mean something else won’t.
As the huge range in these responses show, there is no one right answer for everyone, but there is a right answer for you. It might take trying different things for a while, but don’t give up. You never know what that one trigger is going to be that will change everything, so keep trying.
Here are some of the things that got ex-smokers to quit for good:
Not wanting to lose a bet
“I’m probably like a lot of former smokers that tried to quit a number of times before being successful. Then a friend and I were out fishing and he began talking about quitting smoking. He wanted to bet $50 that he could outlast me. Beer drinking and trash talking commenced and the bet got up to $500. So I am way too cheap to lose a bet like that and so I went weeks without the butts. My friend came around, admitted that he was back on the smokes and paid up the $500. I was tempted to go back but was feeling so much better without the cigs, kept it going.”
“My mom quit smoking cigarettes in college the same way. She couldn’t turn down a $50 wager (this was back in the 70’s where that wasn’t exactly chump change) and toughed through whatever withdrawals were like for her, and she never picked up the habit again.”
“I quit the same way. Bet between me and my sister in 2012 but it was $20. Both of us haven’t touched a cig and the bet still stands.”
The desire to avoid certain people
“Dumbest and least relatable reason incoming:
My housemate wanted me to smuggle cigarettes, but I didn’t want to, so I said I’d veeeery recently quit and didn’t want to be tempted to smoke by having thousands of them around. So I had to keep up the lie at that point.”
“My neighbour followed me outside for every smoke and was so annoying that I just lost all desire. It was easier to just quit than it was to avoid her. It’s been 3 or 4 years now.”
Health scares
“Doctor said I might have lung cancer. Quit January 18 2011.”
“My dad quit smoking after 40 years due to a stroke. He died of lung cancer 18 years later at 83.”
“My mum passed away from lung cancer 3 years ago yesterday 🙁
I quit that very day and immediately switched to vaping (I already had many failed attempts at switching). I then gave up vaping a year later (I had gradually reduced to 0% nicotine). I used Duolingo learning Spanish to replace vape breaks etc. Hope this helps someone.”
“Same for me about few years before that. Not cancer. Shadow, likely from childhood fungal infection. Still. Was the push needed to finally quit for good.”
“Same same. Smoked almost 30 years. Had quit a few times for a few weeks to a few months. But it felt like suffering. Started vaping but was still smoking. The day my doctor told me I had cancer I went for a walk. Lit a smoke which I usually do when I’m out for a stroll. But it felt stupid smoking when a doctor just told you got cancer. It wasn’t lung but still. Been about 4 years now.”
Tricking yourself into not feeling deprived
“I have a pack in a drawer ‘just in case.’ I’ll never touch it, but having it there makes me feel like it’s a safety net.
“I bought a pack of cigarettes (my last one) and put it on that bowl next to the door where you put your keys. When I was a smoker I always felt more in need of a smoke if I didn’t have a pack, I sometimes went to buy cigarettes in the middle of the night just to not feel that.
I decided to stop one minute at a time. Each time I wanted to smoke I would tell myself in 10 minutes if I still want to smoke I will and then just move on to something else (do not sit in front of a timer waiting) usually a couple of minutes later the need is not as urgent anymore.
You don’t have to think about an eternity smoke free, you just need to make it one minute at a time. Eventually, it had been 3 weeks, and I wasn’t about to ruin my efforts, then 3 months, then a year, and now it had been 7 years.
I have one of those apps that tell you how much your health improved as you stay smoke-free.
Another thing is that I kept on hanging out with smokers, I wanted to stay exposed to my environment.
So far, so good. I still get cravings, but I don’t act on them. But once a smoker always a smoker, I could relapse if I start smoking again.”
Gradual weaning
“I read an article in the paper showing stats that indicated that the cancer risk increased radically at 10 cigarettes a day. So I chose the 10 cigarettes that I craved the most + stuck with that. Occasionally, I would be in a bar or at a party and smoke more than my 10. But whenever that happened I would go back to 10 cigarettes the very next day. About a year later I dropped to nine cigarettes, and stuck with that for quite a while, eventually to 8. After a long period of time, I was down to 1-2 cigarettes a day. One very busy day, I forgot to smoke. The next day I struggled, wondering if I was really ready to quit. I still have dreams about that day, about whether or not I should have a cigarette. I quit, and I haven’t smoked in 22 years.”
“I did something similar. But one day at a time. I was inspired by John Waters, who looked cool when he smoked, but managed to quit. He counted days. Also: My cravings were worst in the evening, so I told myself if I could get through the night I could have one in the morning. I hardly ever wanted to smoke in the morning. Also, I didn’t beat myself up if I caved in after, say, a week. If I smoke one that’s still seven days without a cigarette. And if I stop again that would only be one cigarette in eight days, nine days, etc.
Smoking one after a while is not ‘failing’ but little breaks between big successes. I’m smoke free for ten years now. With no breaks at all.”
Making it really gross
“Drove 10 hours with my father in law in the car. He smoked a pipe and inhaled it. At one point, he coughed so hard he puked out the window. Quit the next day.”
“I am 4 years smoke free. I have a serious mouse phobia. So, when i decided I no longer wanted to smoke I would force myself to look at picture/videos of rodents. My brain quickly started associating smoking with mice.”
“I found bird feathers in a few of my swisher sweet cigars over the course of a few weeks. I haven’t smoked since because smoking makes me think of the taste of smoking feathers. Fortunately, I guess.”
“I convinced myself that it was gross. Do you have an old soda can of butts on your porch? Think about drinking it. Have you ever smelled someone who just smokes and drinks black coffee? They smell like literal poop. Think about that. It’s makes you smell poopy. Gross yourself out.”
For love
“Went out one Thursday evening with some friends and friends of friends, back when you could smoke in the pub.
Got chatting to a girl, hit it off and at the end of the night, said our goodbyes and parted with a vague plan to meet up again, maybe next week.
Friday lunchtime, lasagne and a pint with some of the group from the night before (when having a couple of pints at lunchtime was acceptable), I lit up a cigarette after eating and the friend, who had introduced me to the girl the previous night, mentioned ‘oh, you know that girl you were talking to last night? She’s not a big fan of smoking.’
I thought for a brief moment, stubbed out my Camel, crumpled up the packet that was left, threw my lighter and have not been tempted to light up since. That was 1990 and this May, we will have been married for 32 years.”
“Almost the same for me. Met a girl, girl didn’t like smokers, I quit smoking. 10 years ago.
Edit: not just did I fall in love with my now wife. She also had a 4 year old girl. To be a dad, changes had to be made. No regrets.”
“My girlfriend at the time would not marry or live with a smoker. I quit 21 years ago, and we are about to have our 21 year anniversary. So I guess I did it for love. “
The right book
“I read Allen Carr’s Easy Way to Stop Smoking. I promise I’m not being paid for this.
The comedian Paul F Tompkins smoked for years but quit after reading this book, and would recommend it to anybody who wanted to try. I’m a big fan of his, so I decided it couldn’t hurt. As soon as I started the book, I realized what it was doing. I figured I was way too smart for it and that it would never work, even though I understood the points it was making and the psychology it was using. I continued to smoke as I was reading it, as the book instructs you to do, and was absolutely sure the cute little tricks it was using would never work and that I had just wasted ten bucks.
I finished the book, threw away the unsmoked half of the pack I was on, and haven’t had so much as a craving since. I don’t even vape, I’ve had absolutely no cravings and no nicotine in any way for almost ten years now. I can not explain it but it worked immediately, in a way that nothing had worked up to that point, and wholeheartedly recommend it to anybody who is serious about quitting.”
“I read it as well. Been over 15 years and never even think about it.”
“Another voice voting for this! I smoked 20 a day and stopped the moment I finished this book. Still remember looking at my last cigarette as I smoked it (It was a Sterling red) and being so excited that after that cig I knew I was a non smoker. Been about 13 years now I think, never been tempted to go back.”
“Worked for me too. I had given up a few times before and I always felt like I was depriving myself, even after a year. After reading that (a page or two a day) it’s like I just don’t see them any more, like I’ve erased them from my memory. Quit more than 15 years ago.”
Hypnosis
“I was pack a day for years and hypnosis worked for me. I would tell anyone to try it! 16 years smoke free now.”
“My granddad did it as well with Hypnosis. From a severe chain smoker to never again.”
“I tried hypnosis twice. The first time I was not completely committed and expected the hypnosis to do the trick for me.
The second time I was ready to quit and viewed the hypnosis as something to help ME quit.
You have to be ready, committed to quit, and willing to do it yourself NOT expecting the hypnosis to do it for you.
I quit but my wife didn’t quit until 5 years later after me. She is now fighting emphysema.”
People shared all kinds of other reasons for finally quitting as well, from their kids asking them to quit to not wanting their clothes to smell to realizing how much other people disliked it. Whether you’re trying to quit smoking or trying to change some other habit, you just never know what’s going to work, so keep experimenting until you find the thing that pushes you over the line to success.
