How to Quit Smoking with Non-Tobacco Cigarettes

Non-tobacco or herbal cigarettes are advertised as a healthy alternative to standard cigarettes because they contain no tobacco or nicotine. They are made from many different natural ingredients such lettuce, jasmine, passion flower and ginseng. They can also be flavored with menthol, cherry, vanilla and other flavors. Even though they can help you quit smoking, it must be acknowledged that according to the American Cancer Society, herbal cigarettes, "...also give off tar and carbon monoxide and are dangerous to your health." There are a number of quit smoking steps that the ACS recommends that can be combined with the use of non-tobacco cigarettes to help get you through this difficult task.

Things You'll Need

• Calendar
• Non-tobacco cigarettes
• Sugar-free gum or candies
• Carrot sticks
• Straws
• Water
• Juices
• Jar
• A support system

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Instructions

• 1

  Pick a "quit day" and mark it on your calendar. Do this about a month in advance. This is the day your new life begins.

• 2

  Start to wean yourself off of tobacco cigarettes to reduce your nicotine intake leading up to your quit day. The ACS says, "You might cut out cigarettes smoked with a cup of coffee, or you might decide to smoke only at certain times of the day."

• 3

  On your quit day, stop smoking tobacco cigarettes, completely.

• 4

  Stay active. Walk, run and exercise.

• 5

  Begin smoking non-tobacco cigarettes. Just use a few to comfort yourself but be careful not to overindulge or become reliant on them.

• 6

  Change your routine. If you smoked while watching TV, or driving, or during breakfast, begin doing things differently. Drink tea instead of coffee, watch TV at a different time or in a different place or eat breakfast in a different part of the house.

• 7

  Drink plenty of water and juices. Every time you want a cigarette go for either of these instead.

• 8

  Continue using the non-tobacco cigarettes. Just smoke a few a day at the most. Remember, just because they are natural it does not mean they are healthy. These should be used sparingly.

• 9

  Keep plenty of oral substitutes around like sugar-free gum, candies or drinking straws for chewing. When the urge strikes, go for one of these.

• 10

  Put the money you've been saving from buying cigarettes in a jar to buy yourself a reward at the end of the month.

• 11

  Communicate with your support system. This can be a nicotine anonymous group, a friend who's quit before or your family. Talk through it.

• 12

  Never give up. If you slip, you can always recover. Stay focused. Use the non-tobacco cigarettes to help get you through it.

• 13

  Stick to your new routine. Create a new, non-smoking lifestyle for yourself.