I must have tried ~15 or 20 times to quit. I mean really, going at least a week without smoking. I was ~1 pack a day. It stuck the last time, and it's been 5 years I think? People said you'd never stop craving it, which was true for a while. Today, I really don't think about it at all.

I quit after 8 years, one pack a day, 2 mg / cigarette (reduced from 10 mg / cigarette beforehand). Thought it impossible, looks quite easy afterwards.

I had to switch attention - each time I had a desire to smoke I run until there was no more. And it showed me immediate changes in the body, there was white sludge getting out of my lungs. First week was the hardest, second much easier, at its end I was so sure in success I've shared with friend. I said no one before to reduce pressure of failing.

After three weeks there was no craving, just easy fighting of occasional customs - like getting out of home, before bad, etc.

Several weeks later and food was never as delicious before. It was all cardboard by comparison. I still do not understand smoking in restaurant - just get any junk food, it is same.

Three month later was spring. Smells all around, it was another world, so beautiful.

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Conventional wisdom is a lie, echo chamber. You will not hear my story in smoking crowds - I'm not there. Two of my friends quit smoking the day I've shared my success at the end of the second week. One started again after several years - depression and working conditions - it does not help, just a feeling "no there to fall deeper". There is.

I have anecdotal evidence against the craving hypothesis. My mom quit after she broke her leg. When she got back from the hospital, she didn't throw out the last pack of cigarettes. It was sitting on a shelf in plain sight for like several months. She didn't go back to smoking.

I did this too. Not break my leg, but decided to stop, when I made the decision, it was internal, I didn't tell anyone, and I didn't clean up anything, it was a few days before I emptied my ash-tray, and for many weeks the pack and ashtray was right there right of my mouse-pad as is tradition. Every time I had the impulse, I could reach down and chose not to smoke. I was actually afraid of relapse when I finally threw the pack out, because I felt it was a security net.

My interpretation of why this worked is, that from previously failed attempts (2 or 3 maybe), I had changed too much, and thrown away the packs and lighters.. I'd suddenly sit and think "that car.. it really needs refueling RIGHT. NOW. don't it?" and I'd drive to the gas station and when paying for gas, I'd say, as is tradition "and a pack of north state and a ligther please".. Brain finding a million excuses to go out and having to resist at those weak moments, was hard..

But having the pack always there made it a constant active choice of lower intensity rather than a more intense recurrent impulse.

I kept a pack of cigarettes around when I quit, too. It kept me from ideating about leaving the house and going to the store to buy cigarettes (which for me, had previously, had functioned like loading up a spring.)

Good for her. I'd compare quiting cigarettes to losing weight, since I have some experience in both.

Quitting is not a result, it is an effort you make through your life. It can be pretty easy for some, others need to focus a bit more. Build a strong determination to quit and have a positive outlook on life and your decision. The latter drastically affects how you experience cravings.

It becomes natural after a while, but if one can start smoking out of nowhere, starting this habit again is not less probable. Quitting is a continuous effort, but it is worth it.

The perceived "hard" first two weeks abstinence struggle immensely benefits from foregone tries. It's a bit like fasting: first time is the hardest and after that there might even be some self-challenging pleasure fighting the urge to give up.

The real hard part, in terms of actually prolonged success, is that party six month later, one year later, two years later, ...

You will never stay a casual, 2-3 cigarettes a week smoker. You permanently fucked this up for yourself. YOU ARE AN ADDICT FOR LIFE!

This is good advice - as a non-smoker it is hard to relate to the subject, but i find that having kids helps nevertheless.

Apart from trying to be a good parent, i find that improving the chances of being alive as long as possible to maximize the time with the kid is important.

So any one of the things that can prevent this from happening, i try to keep under control, e.g. Smoking, Being overweight, not exercising, Drinking to name just a few.