Quitting Starts Now. Make Your Quit Plan.

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Quitting smoking, dip or chew can be hard. Creating a personalized quit plan makes it easier to stay on track, get through hard times, and quit for good.

Complete 5 steps for your personalized quit plan.

Which type of tobacco are you quitting?

Not a Veteran? Make your plan to quit here and find resources that work for you.

Choose Your Quit Date

STEP 1 of 5

Pick a day in the next two weeks. This will give you enough time to prepare. Pick a date that isn’t already likely to be a stressful one.

When is your quit date?

If you’re not ready to set a quit date you can still make a quit plan or explore other resources.

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What Is Smoking Costing You?

STEP 2 of 5

Enter how many cigarettes you smoke and how much a pack of cigarettes costs. You'll find out how much money you can save by quitting.

I smoke aboutcigarettes each day.
I spend about $per pack of cigarettes.

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Why Are You Quitting?

STEP 3 of 5

Knowing your reasons for why you want to quit smoking can help you stay motivated and on track, especially in difficult moments.

My reasons for quitting:

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Know Your Triggers

STEP 4 of 5

After you stop smoking, certain places and situations can remind you of smoking and make it hard to stay smokefree. Use this list to find what makes you want to smoke. We’ll give you strategies that will help you stay in control.

Social Situations
Nicotine Withdrawal
Routine Situations
My Emotions

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Set Yourself Up for Success

STEP 5 of 5

Choose strategies and tools to help you quit. When preparing to quit, set yourself up for success by thinking about who in your life you will reach out to for support, how you will get expert help, and how you will distract yourself when you have the urge to smoke. This will keep you on track and boost your chances of quitting for good.

Your quit plan will have more information on the options you select and how to get expert help.

This is how I will reach out for support:
(select one or more)
This is how I will get help from experts:
(select one or more)
When a craving hits, I will distract myself by:
(select one or more)

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Your Quit Plan is Ready!

Let’s Go!

My Quit Date

mm-dd-yyy

Today is your quit day! Use this quit plan with tips and motivation to guide you through your quit attempt. The most important thing is that you don’t smoke today—not even once. Quitting can be easier when you are ready to face any challenges that come your way. We have information to help you learn how to quit smoking.

Tomorrow is your quit day. Use this time beforehand to review your quit plan and take steps to get ready. Quitting can be easier when you are ready to face any challenges that come your way. We have information to help you learn how to quit smoking.The most important thing is that you don’t smoke tomorrow—not even once.

Use this time before your quit day to review your quit plan and take steps to get ready. Quitting can be easier when you are ready to face any challenges that come your way. We have information to help you learn how to quit smoking. The most important thing is that you can do on your quit day is to not smoke—not even once.

Quitting is the best action you can take to protect your health, but maybe you’re not ready to take that step today. We are glad you want to learn more about quitting and how it might look for you. This plan will be here when you’re ready to try to quit.

My Savings

We calculated what you’ll save by quitting. Take a moment to think about the specific things you’ll do with the extra money.

1 Week smokefree: weekly savings

1 Month smokefree: monthly savings

1 Year smokefree: yearly savings

Get Ready to Quit

Completing the following steps to prepare for quitting will boost your chances of success. Plus, it will make it easier to handle difficult situations and stay committed after you quit. Mark them off when you’ve completed each step.
Quit Checkboxes
You’ve already taken the first step in getting ready to quit!
Throw away your cigarettes, matches, and lighters on or before your quit day. Clear out your home, car, bags, or other places you keep cigarettes and other reminders. Do laundry so your clothes don’t smell like smoke. Unfollow social media accounts that show smoking and avoid watching shows or movies that feature smoking. Are there other reminders of smoking in your life? If so, remove those too.
Medications can make quitting easier by reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Veterans who receive their health care through VA have access to all FDA-approved quit medications through their provider. If you do not receive VA health care, check with your health insurance plan or call your state’s quitline to see if they can provide quit tobacco medications.
Practice what you will say if somebody offers you a cigarette. Keep it simple and direct: “No thanks, I quit.”
Consider talking to your friends or family who smoke to see if they want to quit with you. But if they don’t want to quit, ask them to respect your decision and not smoke around you. You may decide to distance yourself from people who don’t respect your choice.
Certain parts of your daily routine might trigger your desire to smoke. Think about the activities that make you want to smoke and make a plan to change them. That might look like taking a different route to work, changing where you eat lunch and/or who you eat with, or taking a walk around the block instead of a smoking break.
Quitting may not be easy. Bad moods, poor sleep, and strong cravings are just a few of the things you may feel when you quit. That’s why it’s important to celebrate your successes, whether big or small. Rewarding yourself by doing something positive or enjoyable can help you cope with tough times or setbacks.
Becoming completely tobacco-free gives you the best chance of staying quit and is the best thing you can do for your health. There are free resources here on SmokefreeVET that can help you quit smoking and other tobacco use. You can also talk to your doctor to get help with quitting.

Understand Your Triggers

Triggers are the feelings and situations that make you more likely to smoke. You may not be able to avoid all the things that remind you of smoking when you quit. Planning ahead for these difficult situations can help you stay on track. We have strategies to try and you may think of more. Keep trying until you find what works for you.

My Triggers

My Nicotine Withdrawal Triggers:  

When you quit smoking, your body and brain must get used to going without nicotine. This is called nicotine withdrawal. It feels different for everyone, and the feelings can be uncomfortable. The longer you go without smoking, the more your body can get used to being nicotine-free.

Here are ways to cope without smoking:

  • Medications can help reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Ask your doctor if nicotine replacement therapy or other quit medications are right for you.
  • Take care of yourself. Eat healthy, get plenty of sleep, and drink lots of water.
  • Get support from friends and family. Tell your friends and family that you’re quitting and ask for their support.

My Routine Triggers:  

There may be times each day when you smoke as part of a routine activity and don’t even think about it – you just do it. Be aware of these situations and break the links between these daily routines and smoking.

Managing your triggers:

  • Try taking a different route to work.
  • Change where you eat lunch and/or who you eat with.
  • Pick one situation and challenge yourself to not smoke during that activity. Try another activity after you succeed with the first one.

My Emotional Triggers:  

Many people smoke to enjoy a good mood or escape a bad one. Smoking is not a good way to cope with feelings. If you are stressed or anxious – whatever is causing it will still be there after you smoke. 

Try these ways to handle stress and emotions:

  • Take a break. Sometimes all you need is a “time out” from an upsetting or stressful situation in order to calm down. Go for a walk, listen to music, or find a quiet spot to take slow, deep breaths.
  • Get your body moving—it can keep boredom at bay and is a great way to handle both negative and positive emotions. Dance, shoot hoops, or find an online workout video to try.
  • Turn to people who care about you to celebrate successes and lift you up when you’re feeling down.
  • Look out for signs of depression, which can be serious.

Over time, you’ve built up patterns and routines around smoking – especially if you smoke during many different activities or frequently throughout the day. Knowing your smoking behaviors – like when and where you typically smoke – may help you prepare for situations that make you want to smoke and avoid them.

What are my Smoking patterns? Ask yourself the following questions to help you understand your smoking patterns and behaviors. Writing it down can help you organize your thoughts:

  • When do I smoke?
  • Do I smoke more often than I used to?
  • In what places or situations do I smoke more often or less often?
  • Who am I with when I smoke?

Plan For Your Cravings

Cravings are temporary and will fade over time the longer you stay quit. When a craving hits, find something else to do instead of smoking. It will pass. The important thing is to keep trying different things until you find what works for you.

My craving strategies:

Drinking a glass of water.

Eating something crunchy like carrots, apples, or sunflower seeds.

Taking 10 deep breaths.

Getting some exercise.

Using a piece of nicotine gum or lozenge to help get through the craving.

Playing games on my phone or listening to a podcast or audiobook.

Texting or talking with someone who supports me.

Going to a place where smoking isn’t allowed.

I will find other ways to distract myself.

Build Your Support Team

Surrounding yourself with positive support can make it easier to quit. Reach out to the supporters you’ve chosen to tell them you’re quitting and would like their support.

I will:

Find a quit buddy. If there’s someone close to you who smokes, ask them if they want to quit with you. It could be helpful to have someone who understands the challenges of becoming smokefree. Plan smokefree activities together and celebrate any successes.

Ask for advice or support from someone who has successfully quit. Ask them what helped them, what surprised them, and what challenged them. See if they are willing to check in on you to hold you accountable.

Connect on social media with other people who are quitting tobacco. Get inspiration and encouragement from a community of people who are going through the same things as you. Join SmokefreeVET on Facebook for a group of Veterans who are quitting and staying quit.

Reach out for other support. No matter who it is you get support from, reaching out to people close to you is an important part of building your team.

Learn more about how to build my team.

Get Help From Experts

Getting quit support from an expert, like a health care professional or trained quit counselor, can increase your chances of success. Ask how they might be able to help you quit.

I will:

Talk to my VA healthcare provider, other doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional about how to quit tobacco. Ask how they can help and support you and see which nicotine replacement therapy or other quit medication is right for you.

Contact my health insurance plan to find out if quit tobacco medications are covered. Veterans who receive their health care through VA have access to all FDA-approved quit medications through their provider. If you do not receive VA health care and your plan doesn’t cover them, call your state’s quitline to see if they can provide quit tobacco medications.

Call the Quit VET quitline to talk one-on-one with a trained counselor to help me quit. It’s free and confidential.

Quit VET Quitline
Available Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Eastern
English and Spanish: 1-855-QUIT-VET (1-855-784-8838)

Ask my VA health care provider about quit tobacco counseling options available. Your VA provider can let you know about individual and group counseling available from VA through telehealth or in-person care. Sign into My HealtheVet to send a question about quitting to your VA healthcare provider via secure message.

Sign up for the SmokefreeVET Text Message Program to get daily messages of tips, strategies, and support.

or text VET to 47848
Chat online with a trained quit counselor. Available Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern time, in English or Spanish.

Download the Stay Quit Coach app. This app has tailored support and resources for Veterans to quit smoking and stay quit. Available for Android and iPhones.

Download from Apple App Store    Download from Google Play Store

Reach out for other expert advice. Getting help is free and can increase your chances of quitting for good. It’s common to think you need to “tough it out” or “go it alone,” but these ideas are false. People who get support and advice from experts and use quit smoking medications are more likely to quit and stay quit. Learn more from VA.

Remind Yourself Why You Want To Quit

When quitting feels tough, think back on these reasons why quitting smoking is important to you.

When quitting feels tough, think back on the reasons why quitting smoking is important to you.

Remember Setbacks Are Part Of The Process

If you slip up and smoke, don’t think of it as a failure. Remind yourself that you’ve had a temporary setback. The important thing is that you move forward to start quitting again.

Try these steps:

  • Reread your reasons for quitting.

  • Be proud of yourself for all the times you didn’t smoke.

  • Think about what caused you to smoke and come up with a plan for how you would handle it differently next time.