How to Give a Friend Support with Quitting Smoking Without Driving Them Crazy

Did you know that there are over 4,000 different chemicals in tobacco? Of these are 100 identified poisons and 63 drugs which are known to cause cancer. The most commonly talked about drug in cigarettes is nicotine, which is a vasoconstrictor and a nerve toxin which has been classified as a Class I insecticide. Some other poisons you may recognize are Cyanide, Formaldehyde (this is used to embalm bodies), Arsenic, and Ammonia Bromide (a toilet cleaner).

People that inhale these harmful poisons into their bodies are not the only ones to suffer. Each year, an estimated 3,000 nonsmoking Americans die of lung cancer and 300,000 children suffer from respiratory tract infections. Well, if you have a friend or someone you care about who smokes, of course all of these alarming facts are enough for you to beg and plead them to quit. But the fact is, smoking addictions are a tough habit to break and they will only quit when they are personally ready to do so.

Your support can help them to break the habit, but only if you do not do it in an annoying, nagging way. Trust me, this will only make them reach for more cigarettes. So, what can you do to help them quit without jeopardizing your friendship? Here are 5 simple things you can do to support your friend in their goal to quit smoking:

1. Be subtle, but don't nag. If they have not given any inclination that they intend to try to quit smoking, give subtle hints that it bothers you. Give some of the facts listed above and tell them that you would really prefer not to be around the second hand smoke. Inform them of some of the products that are available on the market to assist with breaking the nicotine addiction.

2. Keep them busy in smoke free areas. Many states have passed laws that you cannot smoke within restaurants and other locations, some states, such as Arizona, have even passed laws that you can not smoke inside of a bar. When you go out with your friend plan events at locations like this, so that they are not given the choice to smoke. And if you are driving, make sure you lay down the firm rule of no smoking in your car. Your car - your rules. If they are driving, then you are pretty much out of luck so try to convince them to let you drive whenever you can.

3. If they complain of a craving, give them gum. Whether it's nicotine gum or not, keeping their mouth busy with gum will help deter some of the cravings away from cigarettes. While they are chewing gum, keep them busy with hands on activities and soon the craving will pass and they will forget all about it, at least for a little while.

4. Tell them what a good job they are doing. Positive reinforcement can do wonders for a person trying to quit smoking. They will appreciate hearing this much more than the usual nags of "when are you going to quit that disgusting habit", etc. Positive reinforcement gives them the encouragement they need to keep going and not disappoint you, because they will want to hear more encouragement and it makes them feel good about themselves.

5. Compliment them on how nice they smell. Smokers do not realize how bad their hands, clothes, hair, breathe, and everything around them stinks. They really don't notice it because they are around the scent all of the time, so they become accustomed to the smell. When they haven't smoked for a day or so, act astounded on how much better they smell. This tip may sound silly, but it works. It subtly plants the seed in their mind and makes them feel self conscious about their odor the next time they think about lighting up.

The 5 tips above may sound very subtle, but they really do work in a positive way to get the ones you care about to try to quit smoking. Try implementing some of these tips and soon you will hopefully have a smoke-free friend.


Christine Griego is an active advocate for health awareness and disease prevention. For more helpful facts and tips on quitting smoking, visit http://stop-smoking.trustedproductss.com/