8. Knowledge and Information

You may find it helps to stay motivated about quitting to keep up to date with the science surrounding tobacco and smoking. Finding out how other quitters faced and dealt with their challenges can also give you ideas that help you on your own quitting journey. One resource that offers both these types of information and more is the About.com Smoking Cessation website. Another resource that may help keep you motivated is the "Within 20 Minutes of Quitting" poster from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The poster, included in the 2004 US Surgeon General's Report, lists the following statements:

• 20 minutes after quitting: your heart rate drops.

• 12 hours after quitting: carbon monoxide in your blood drops to normal.

• 2 weeks to 3 months after quitting: your heart attack risk begins to drop; your lung function begins to improve.

• 1 to 9 months after quitting: your coughing and shortness of breath decrease.

• 1 year after quitting: your added risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's.

• 5 years after quitting: your stroke risk is reduced to that of a non-smoker's 5 - 15 years after quitting.

• 10 years after quitting: your lung cancer death rate is about half that of a smoker's; your risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decreases.

• 15 years after quitting: your risk of coronary heart disease is back to that of a non-smoker's.

You can also pick up leaflets, books, motivational CDs, and other resources at your doctor's, local clinic, health centre and library.

9. 'Do It Yourself' Quit Smoking Kits

There are smoking cessation programs that come in a kit that you can have delivered to your home. In the UK, you can order a Quit Kit from the NHS. When you open the box, it contains materials and resources such as a guide, a route map of your day to day quitting journey, an addiction test, information about nicotine replacement products, calming audio downloads, a stress toy and a tool to help you work out how much money you can save by quitting. An increasing number of do-it-yourself quit programs are also being offered over the internet. One example from the US is the free to use EX Plan, set up under the National Alliance for Tobacco Cessation. The program, which purports to "show you a whole new way to think about quitting" is based on personal experiences of real ex-smokers and research from the Mayo Clinic. You can explore the site before you sign up and register. The EXPlan comprises three steps that have to be completed in sequence:

1. How to Quit. This is the preparation phase, where you identify your triggers and patterns and "relearn how to handle them" without cigarettes. In this step you also gain knowledge about addiction and how smoking changes the brain, how medications work, and the importance of having a support network. There is also an online EX Community you can link up with.

2. Quit Smoking. This is where you set your quit date and put into practice what you learned in step 1.

3. Staying Quit. In this final step you learn how to keep on being an ex-smoker, make sure the weight stays off and stack up the rewards and benefits of your non-smoking lifestyle.

Some nicotine replacement product manufacturers also have online programs. After registering, you answer questions about your smoking habits, reasons for quitting, potential barriers to quitting, what challenges you face, and other lifestyle factors. This information is then used to tailor program materials to the individual. One such example is GlaxoSmithKline's Committed Quitters designed to be used with their nicotine replacement gum, lozenges, and patches. Their program, which incorporates cognitive behavioral techniques, includes a cessation guide, tailored newsletters delivered via the web, and behavioral support messages that arrive by email over a 10-week period. Registered users also have access to an online library of articles where they can read about the health risks of smoking, common misconceptions about quitting, how to deal with barriers, the financial costs of smoking, tips for planning and alternative activities.