Read these 10 Top Tips for advice on giving up smoking

1. Before you stop, keep a diary over a couple of days
Make a note of every cigarette you smoke, when, what you were doing, who you were with, how you were feeling, how much you enjoyed it, how much you needed it and how it made you feel.
Looking at your diary will help you see potential danger points when it will be hardest not to smoke. Plan how you will cope with these.
2. Set a quit date
This helps you prepare mentally to stop. Some people make a New Year’s Day resolution; others pick their birthday, and up to a million smokers give it a go on national No Smoking Day (External link)
You can use your 'smoking diary' to work out when would be a good time for you to quit. You may find it easier to quit smoking when you're on holiday and away from your normal routine. Alternatively, you might find it easier to start afresh when you come back. Be realistic about what will test your willpower most.
You can use our Calendar (Link opens in new window) to draw up your own action plan.
3. Change your routine
Perhaps you could avoid shops where you usually buy cigarettes or walk instead of catching the bus if you normally have a smoke at the bus stop. If you always have a cigarette in the morning with a coffee, switch to fruit juice instead. When giving up smoking, it is worth giving alcohol a miss for a few days until your resolve is strong enough to resist the association of drinking with smoking. Brush your teeth at the end of a meal or drink something (like milk) that doesn't normally ‘go’ with smoking.
4. Start afresh
Before your quit date, get your teeth cleaned and start using whitening toothpaste and mouthwash. Keeping your breath fresh and your teeth white can be an incentive not to smoke and are a few of the benefits of giving up smoking. Some people find carrying a breath freshener spray helpful.
Why not go the whole hog and clean your car and house to get rid of the smell of cigarette smoke? If you've spent time and money repainting walls to cover nicotine stains, shampooing carpets and dry cleaning upholstery, you'll want to keep everything that way.
5. Remember that the physical cravings will pass
The urge to smoke lasts for a couple of minutes and you might find it helps to take deep breaths until the feeling starts to subside. Cravings get weaker after four or five days. Think back to the first day you quit – you don't want to have to go through it again.
6. Find a substitute
Try to find a healthy alternative like sugar-free chewing gum. Chew on a toothpick if you miss having something in your mouth. Fiddle with a pen or paper clip to keep your hands busy.
One piece of advice on giving up smoking that some people swear by is to take a 'drag' on a piece of rolled up paper so they get a 'hit' of fresh air. Glucose tablets can give you a boost of energy that replaces the rush you used to get from nicotine.
7. Think positive
It’s a good idea to write a list of the reasons why you want to stop and put it somewhere you can easily see it. Keep a scrapbook of newspaper and magazine cuttings about the risks of smoking to inspire you.
8. Do something else
Try and find a hobby or other activity that makes smoking difficult, such as knitting or swimming, or which takes place somewhere you can't smoke, like your local library. You’ll find there are other benefits from quitting smoking and the stimulation and enjoyment of doing something new and interesting will help keep your mind off quitting.
The ban on smoking in public enclosed places means there are fewer places you can light up anyway.
· See our section on Tobacco Policy & Resources for more information on how the law will work.
9. Watch the money add up
A big benefit of quitting smoking is that you’ll be better off in the pocket. Cross off each day on a calendar and write down how much you've saved by not smoking. Or you could physically put the money aside.
Make a list of things you would like to buy for yourself or others and work out how many packets of cigarettes each item ‘costs’.
· Try our Cost Calculator (Link opens in new window) to see how the savings can add up.
10. Reward yourself
Plan a celebration each month on the anniversary of your quit date. Buy some of the things on your list or treat yourself to a special meal.
Further reading
If you feel you're ready to stop, our pocket-sized guide How to stop smoking and stay stopped (External link) is full of useful information and advice on stopping smoking. This easy-to-read booklet takes you through the process one step at a time. It tackles common problems, like whether to tell your friends, and whether you can have 'just one'. It provides practical advice on giving up smoking.
Start feeling the benefits of quitting smoking today.