Below are the common stages in stopping smoking. Where are you in your personal war against smoking? You may go through all the stages or only a few. You may go through some more than once.

Stage 1: You are a person who smokes and is concerned about your health.

Stage 2: You have decided that you will gather information about quitting.

Stage 3: You have decided to take some steps to reduce your smoking risk such as cutting back, changing brands, exercising.

Stage 4: You have decided you will definitely quit, but you are not ready to set a date.

Stage 5: You set a quit date and commit to quit on that date.

Stage 6: The target date arrives and you stop smoking. You also continue to seek information as you go day by day in search of a new, healthier life. (There are many strategies to try and help for any relapses that may occur.)

Stage 7: You are considered to be in the maintenance phase when you have stopped smoking for three months.

Stage 8: Take time to reward yourself for having accomplished a MAJOR step in improving your overall health, as well as increasing the odds for a longer and healthier life. Proudly take your place among the forty million people who succeeded in kicking the habit!