How to Prevent a Person From Smoking

The American Heart Association says nicotine is one of the hardest addictions to break. It is a drug that causes changes in the brain to increase tolerance and make people more and more dependent on it. The withdrawal symptoms make it very unpleasant for those trying to quit. It's difficult to convince someone to quit when they're addicted, but if you offer them support it will make it a lot easier for them to do so.

Things You'll Need

• Pen
• Paper
• Nicotine gum
• Nicotine patches
• Vapor cigarette

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Instructions

• 1

  Tell him the drawbacks of smoking. Smokers already know that smoking is bad for their health. They develop chronic coughs and experience shortness of breath after light exercise. They tend to block out thoughts about long-term effects of smoking. If you want someone to stop smoking, start by reminding him how seriously damaging smoking can be. Besides yellowing teeth, causing wrinkles and inducing bad breath, it causes lungs to be damaged by tar, causes cancer and reduces life expectancy.

• 2

  Give him incentive to quit other than his health. Calculate how much money he spends on smoking in an average month. Remind him that's money that could be spent elsewhere. Another idea is to make a deal with him to stop smoking. If he makes an effort to stop smoking for you, agree to do something for him in return.

• 3

  Help him make a plan. According to the Mayo clinic, writing down why you want to quit smoking helps solidify a plan of action. Have him write down all the reasons to quit smoking. Help him decide how he's going to do it. Some people prefer to quit altogether and others prefer to quit gradually over time by cutting down on the amount they smoke daily.

• 4

  Encourage him to stay strong. Remember to praise him if he goes for a certain period without smoking or if he starts smoking less than before. Praise and encouragement are more effective than nagging and belittlement.

• 5

  Give him products that help smokers deal with withdrawal symptoms. It can be very difficult to quit a habit like smoking without using an alternative vice as a crutch. Some people start overeating. To avoid this, give him nicotine gum, nicotine patches or a vapor cigarette to help. Vapor cigarettes help those addicted to nicotine by making them feel that they are holding a real cigarette. They run on batteries to create the illusion of smoke using water.

• 6

  Keep him busy. Plan activities so he doesn't have time to think about smoking. Go to the movies or start a new hobby. Take a road trip or vacation.

• 7

  Encourage him to seek professional help. If he can't find the willpower to quit with help from you, he may need professional help. Tell him there's no shame in going to a therapist. If it can help him quit smoking, it's worth a try.