Youth Coalition Against Smoking

It's unfortunate, but people can't quit smoking just because they want to. It takes an average of three to five attempts, and sometimes several years, to be successful.

Willpower is necessary but it's not enough, on its own, to quit cigarettes. People need to be highly motivated, properly prepared, and use proven methods

Every year, roughly 60% of young smokers try to quit. Most of them fail.

Most high-school smokers are still smoking five years after trying to quit for the first time.

In high school, more girls try to quit; but more girls also start smoking again.

If they have help, women are more successful at quitting than men.

Women tend to abandon their attempts to quit smoking at the first sign that they're gaining weight.

Challenging yourself to quit smoking for 24 or 48 hours is a bad idea, since it can create a false sense of security: "I can quit when I want", or "I can control my cigarette use".

Young smokers are much more likely to succeed if they quit for at least 14 days.

Quitting at the same time as your friends will increase chances of success.

The longer you wait to quit, the more damage cigarettes will cause. But the younger you are when you quit, the quicker and more completely your body will recover.

When people quit smoking, they experience withdrawal symptoms: nervousness, anxiety, impatience, irritability, difficulty concentrating, cravings, sleep disorders, depression. However, these symptoms don't usually last for long (a few days to a few weeks).

Withdrawal symptoms are normal and are a positive sign that the body is trying to recover its natural balance.

There are many effective ways of reducing or eliminating withdrawal symptoms.

It's possible to quit smoking! Thousands of people, young and old alike, do it every year.